TEHRAN (FNA)- India is exploring the possibility for helping build more railway lines in Iran, in addition to Chabahar project, to connect Iran's manufacturing and mining centers to its ports, official sources said. New Delhi is expediting talks with Tehran for over $5bln-worth project exports from India to Iran’s railway sector, the Financial Express (FE) reported. Official sources told the FE that Tehran has agreed to seek lines of credit (LoC) from the Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) in rupee for financing such railway project exports (of relatively long term in nature) from India to Iran. India had given Iran the option of choosing either using the rupee payment mechanism or the LoC. Project exports from India to Iran in the railway sector will include supplying and laying of tracks, building signaling systems, carrying out electrical work and upgrading existing rail operations. The Iranian government, according to reports, is planning to expand the country’s railway network annually by 500-1,000 km to ensure it touches 25,000 km by 2025 from around 13,000 km now. Iran and India which have deep historical and cultural relations are now seeking to further expand political and economic ties. India, the world's fourth-largest petroleum consumer, is Iran's second largest oil customer after China and purchases around $12bln worth of Iranian crude every year, about 12 percent of its consumption. India and Iran have been holding discussions at regular intervals on issues related to economic cooperation under the joint commission mechanism, which was established in July 1983.