New Delhi, July 23: Union Minister of State for Ministry of Railways K. H. Muniyappa on Thursday said that India has signed the Inter Governmental Agreement on the Trans Asian Railway Network in June 2007 at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Muniyappa stated that the agreement has come into force in June 2009 after eight signatories ratified the agreement.

The Southern Corridor of Trans Asian Railway Network provides rail link via India between Asia and Europe.

The minister further informed that with a total length of 11,460 kilometers, the link commences from Kunming in China and Bangkok in Thailand and ends in Kapikule in Bulgaria, passing among other countries through Myanmar, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Muniyappa also highlighted it would provide a viable land route to promote trade relations with the Middle East, Central Asia and South-East Asia and Europe.

He also said that the network has good potential for container traffic movement between South-East Asia and Europe and between Central and South Asia. Due to reduced transit time, the increased trade would bring benefit to the countries of the region. (ANI)