New Delhi : Railway board chief R.K. Singh has become the first Indian to be elected chairman of the world executive council of the Union of International Railways (UIC). Singh was chosen at a meeting of the executive council on Oct. 27 in Yokohama, Japan.

“It reflects the growing importance of Indian Railways in the world railways community,” said an official press release. It said Singh’s election would provide an opportunity to modernize Indian Railways and help it to play an active role in the development of railways in member countries.

Headquartered in Paris, UIC promotes cooperation between railways at the global level and harmonizes activities to develop international transport by rail.