Iran has completed rail-laying on the Chabahar-Iranshahr section of the Chabahar-Zahedan railway line, a project that will boost India’s access to Central Asia, reports said on September 29.

The line is being built to connect Chabahar port, where India has invested heavily, with the Iranian rail network at Zahedan. The project covers a direct length of 630 km, or 735 km including branches, with 33 stations, 39 tunnels and 201 bridges.

The railway is designed to carry 7.7 million tonnes of freight and 2.2 million passengers a year. Commissioning of the full link is targeted for late January 2027, officials said.

For India, the line matters because it opens a trade route to Afghanistan and Central Asia that bypasses Pakistan. Chabahar is a key part of India’s strategy to link with the region through Iran. The project has faced delays over the years, and the latest milestone suggests it is back on track, which could reshape trade flows across the region.