TEHRAN – Ranking railway officials from Iran and India signed a Memorandum of Understanding late Sunday to boost bilateral relations.

The MOU contains issues such as technical training of the personnel, railroad signaling projects, supplying locomotives and spare parts, as well as setting up a joint working group.
Indian Railway Board Chairman K. C. Jena and Hassan Ziari, the managing director of Iran’s Railway Company were the sides to the accord.
The agreement will also promote a joint effort to increase cooperation with the International Union of Railways (UIC) and start work on the India-Iran-Russia railway line.
Furthermore, the deal will incorporate investment plans for a new track, which will connect the Free Trade Zone of Chabahar in Southeast Iran and the city of Fahrej situated in central parts of the country and Iran called for Indian partnership and cooperation in the project.
Iran is also keen to cooperate with Indian Railway in its port connectivity plan and will accept the offer after examining the financial viability of the proposed projects in Iran.
Iran has about 6,000 km long rail route and Indian Railway has carried over 6,000 million passengers in 2007-08 and the target for 2008-09 is over 7,000 million which is among the highest in the world for rail travel.