BD-Pakistan train transit through India

[xebex]

South Asian Media Net

Pak okays India's train service proposal
Sunday, September 13,2009

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Railways has technically approved an Indian proposal to launch a South Asian regional train service between Bangladesh, India and Pakistan and the proposal has been forwarded to the ministry of foreign affairs and the commerce ministry for further evaluation.

The proposal had been floated by the Indian railways two weeks ago, officials said. ‘Experts have acknowledged potential of the South Asian route and they see it more easy to operate,’ the officials said, adding that the three countries had broad gauge railway tracks and even the railways’ operating system was similar as it had been established by the British rulers in the region. The Indian proposal came in the backdrop of reports that the ECO planned to launch an Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul service.

The Indian proposal also said that the proposed service could be a milestone in developing bilateral trade between Pakistan and other Saarc countries like Nepal and Bhutan as these countries would be accessible through the transit trade of this train service.

Officials of the ministry of railways said that experts had suggested Dhaka-Delhi-Lahore train was viable in all respects and if the need arose it could be extended to Karachi or Islamabad.

‘The initial trials would be container operations followed by passenger services,’ the ministry report said.

However, the ministry has forwarded its experts’ report to the foreign office for the feedback over the policy issue.

what about merging both "Dhaka-Delhi-Lahore" and "Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul" route together? It have the potential to become the silk route of 21st century. At the same time it is very important to increase the securtiy parameters in each international borders as there are non state actors looking forward to ruin the relationships between the countires.

 

[TopCat]

great news, i hope i can be in bangladesh one more time in my life...!

Is it only the lacking of train track stopping you to come to Bangladesh??? Its very cheap from Thailand to BD I guess 100-200 dollar for round trip air fare. in fact from any south east asia its less than 300 dollar. check that out.

 

[Halaku Khan]

This link should be clubbed together Pakistan with giving permission for Afghanistan-India link. Also, India should charge the same transit fees that Pakistan wants to charge for Afghan-India transit.

 

[Omar1984]

This link should be clubbed together Pakistan with giving permission for Afghanistan-India link. Also, India should charge the same transit fees that Pakistan wants to charge for Afghan-India transit.

You wish...

 

[eastwatch]

what about merging both "Dhaka-Delhi-Lahore" and "Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul" route together? It have the potential to become the silk route of 21st century. At the same time it is very important to increase the securtiy parameters in each international borders as there are non state actors looking forward to ruin the relationships between the countires.

You have quite a correct and pragmatic vision. By the rule of reciprocity, India is supposed to seek the merger of Dhaka-Delhi-Lahore route with the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul route.

In the east the route may extend to Burma,Thailand and beyond. It will be a great trans-asian train route. I wish this grand project a success.

 

[Omar1984]

what about merging both "Dhaka-Delhi-Lahore" and "Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul" route together? It have the potential to become the silk route of 21st century. At the same time it is very important to increase the securtiy parameters in each international borders as there are non state actors looking forward to ruin the relationships between the countires.

And let India earn billions of dollars through trade with Central Asia, Middle East, and Europe through Pakistan and India uses that money to expand their defence budget and buy even more weapons.

No thanks.

This train Dhaka-Delhi-Lahore covers just one region, South Asia.

Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul railway is India's dream and the billions of dollars and influence into those very important regions is not comparable to the transit route fee India will offer Pakistan especially when relations with India is at all time low with no progress of talks over disputes with India.

Stick to the Dhaka-Delhi-Lahore train for now.

 

[eastwatch]

While you keep mentioning about "trade defecit", do you realise that all your proposals will only ensure that the 'defecit' remains forever!?

There are people who want the trade balance to rise in favour of India, so that they can make it a political issue. BD must seek redress of trade deficit by 1) exporting more goods to India, 2) selling services such as allowing Chittagong port facilities for use of Indian cargo, ALLOWING RAIL TRANSIT ROUTE TO BURMA, allowing Burmese gas thru BD land, and allowing more Indian motorized cargo boats to TRANSIT through BD waterways.

 

[eastwatch]

This link should be clubbed together Pakistan with giving permission for Afghanistan-India link. Also, India should charge the same transit fees that Pakistan wants to charge for Afghan-India transit.

Considering the geopolitics of the region, the reasonable reciprocity may be Turkey-Iran-Pakistan-India-BD transit route, and not the Afghanistan-central asia route.

 

[ebungo]

There is nothing wrong in this project .this connectivity will be from south east Asia to central Asia .If Bangladesh want to be out ,it is their choice but not a good choice .just see the economical of it a rail link is much better than ship transport it will tremendous boost the economy of the whole region.

 

[TopCat]

There is nothing wrong in this project .this connectivity will be from south east Asia to central Asia .If Bangladesh want to be out ,it is their choice but not a good choice .just see the economical of it a rail link is much better than ship transport it will tremendous boost the economy of the whole region.

Yes we need this route as we need Pakistani and Indian cotton for our textile industries. With introduction of the rail link we will be able to significantly reduce the lead time as well as costing. We also will be able to import iron ore and coal as well as agro products from western India for reduced price. I am not sure about Pakistani lime stone as we need them too for cement industry. Raw materials what we need from India and Pakistan and Pakistan could become a good source for us in addition to India.

 

[R.A.W.]

And let India earn billions of dollars through trade with Central Asia, Middle East, and Europe through Pakistan and India uses that money to expand their defence budget and buy even more weapons.

No thanks.

No need to be thankful we are already doing it and will be doing it in future also with alternative routes. And yes we are expanding our defense and we will continue to do so for the hostilities. Any one who wants to compare it can increase their spendings.

Sir do you have anything else in your agenda with the same drum again and again as if India will have 0% market share if Pakistan does not give root. See the sun....

 

[KSRaj]

There are people who want the trade balance to rise in favour of India, so that they can make it a political issue. BD must seek redress of trade deficit by 1) exporting more goods to India, 2) selling services such as allowing Chittagong port facilities for use of Indian cargo, ALLOWING RAIL TRANSIT ROUTE TO BURMA, allowing Burmese gas thru BD land, and allowing more Indian motorized cargo boats to TRANSIT through BD waterways.

Agree completely with you ... want to add one more point to it...
Bangladesh would need to modernize its port ... this way it would be a natural destination for export of goods from eastern and NE India bringing in benefits to Bangladesh as well as that region as a whole.

 

[eastwatch]

Agree completely with you ... want to add one more point to it...
Bangladesh would need to modernize its port ... this way it would be a natural destination for export of goods from eastern and NE India bringing in benefits to Bangladesh as well as that region as a whole.

Draft in the present Chittagong port is shallow even during high moon tide. Ocean going big ships are anchored in Singapore and the cargoes are loaded into smaller ships for voyage to Chittagong. In order to rectify the situation, Bd govt has decided to build a new deep sea port near Cox's Bazaar.

This new port will directly unload goods from large ships. In order to make a good business after spending at least $10 billion on this port, BD must seek not only to serve India's NE and China, but also other Indian ports in the east coast including Kolkata. Smaller ships will transship the goods to India's east coast ports from the new megaport.

 

[Mirage2000]

This link should be clubbed together Pakistan with giving permission for Afghanistan-India link. Also, India should charge the same transit fees that Pakistan wants to charge for Afghan-India transit.

India proposed the transit link between PK,IN and BD,Pakistan is not as keen as you are in this project,as for afghan link its your "Wishfull Thinking",Pakistan will not compromise its security intrests for some transit route which will allow greater transfer of arms to your RAW trained terrorists in Afghanistan and increase acts of terrorism in our westren provinces.

To Others,there is no official proposal/declaration of connecting the PK,IN and BD transit route with PAK IRAN and Turkey train route in news,it might be in great interest of India but has not been proposed(officially) so please do not speculate here.