Indian Railways Exports Metro Coaches, Locomotives And Passenger Carriages To Europe, Australia And Africa: Minister

Indian Railways is making significant strides in the global market, exporting metro coaches, locomotives, and passenger coaches to multiple countries, according to Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, as reported by the Indian Express.

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha during the Railway Budget discussion, he highlighted how India’s rail manufacturing capabilities are now gaining international recognition, with exports spanning Europe, Australia, Africa, and South Asia.

India is now supplying metro coaches to Australia, while bogies and underframes—the mechanical foundation of locomotives and coaches—are being exported to the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, France, and Australia. 

Additionally, propulsion systems, a key component in power electronics, are now reaching France, Mexico, Romania, Spain, Germany, and Italy.

Passenger coaches manufactured in India have also found demand in Mozambique, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, while locomotives are being supplied to Mozambique, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Bangladesh.

The Minister announced that locomotives manufactured at the Marhowra factory in Bihar—a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative—will soon be exported, further strengthening India's presence in global rail markets. 

"In the near future in Bihar, the Marhowra Factory, which was announced by Lalu Yadav (as then Railway Minister) and it got the momentum after Narendra Modi took charge in 2014, will export more than 100 locomotives soon. Thus, Made in Bihar locomotives will go around the world," he stated quoted as saying by the Indian Express.

Additionally, Tamil Nadu is set to begin exporting forged wheels, supporting India’s growing rail exports.

A recent Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railways recommended that Indian Railways expand its business operations in rail exports while ensuring domestic demands are met. 

The report highlighted that Indian Railways exported rolling stock worth Rs 608.70 crore to Mozambique and Sri Lanka in 2022 and 2023, though there were no exports in 2024.

In 2022, India supplied:

• One 3000HP diesel-electric locomotive from Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW) worth Rs 30.59 crore to Mozambique.

• 58 passenger coaches and five DEMU sets from Modern Coach Factory, Raebareli, worth Rs 293.32 crore to Mozambique.

• 40 broad gauge passenger coaches from Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, worth Rs 164.77 crore to Sri Lanka.

Looking ahead, Vaishnaw announced that in FY25, Indian Railways is projected to transport 1.6 billion tonnes of cargo, placing it among the top three freight carriers globally, alongside China and the USA.

Addressing concerns over a recent security incident at New Delhi Railway Station, the Railways Minister assured the House that all CCTV footage and relevant data have been secured, and 300 individuals have been interviewed as part of the investigation.