Indian Railways exports metro coaches to Australia, bogies to Europe; aims to be among world's top 3 freight carriers: Ashwini Vaishnaw
New Delhi: India is exporting metro coaches to Australia and bogies to several European nations and Saudi Arabia, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, adding that Indian Railways is expected to rank among the top three freight carriers globally by the end of FY25, Moneycontrol reported.
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha on March 17 during a discussion on the railway budget, Vaishnaw highlighted India’s growing footprint in rail exports, calling it a moment of great pride.
He said that bogies and underframes—key mechanical components of locomotives and coaches—are now being supplied to the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, France, and Australia, while the propulsion system, a critical element of power electronics, is being exported to France, Mexico, Romania, Spain, Germany, and Italy.
The minister also revealed that a hundred locomotives manufactured at Bihar’s Marhaura factory are ready for export.
The facility, set up under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, had been announced by Lalu Prasad Yadav during his tenure as railway minister but gained momentum after Narendra Modi took charge in 2014, he said.
Vaishnaw asserted that in the coming days, the Marhaura factory would export more than a hundred locomotives, making "Made in Bihar" locomotives operational worldwide.
His remarks come in a politically significant year, as Bihar is set to hold assembly elections later in 2024.
Amid criticism over railway safety, Vaishnaw insisted that Indian Railways is far safer than before, with a 90 percent drop in railway accidents since 2014.
He pointed out that under previous railway ministers, accidents were significantly higher, citing figures of 698 incidents under Lalu Prasad Yadav, 395 under Mamata Banerjee, and 381 under Mallikarjun Kharge.
According to him, the annual accident count has now fallen to 73.
Vaishnaw also underscored the rising influence of Indian Railways in global rail manufacturing.
He said that 1,400 locomotives were produced in FY25, exceeding the combined output of the US and Europe.
The railway network has expanded its freight capacity by adding 200,000 new wagons and is projected to transport 1.6 billion tons of cargo by the end of FY25, bolstering India's position among the top three freight carriers globally, together with China and the US.
A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railways recently urged Indian Railways to expand its business operations in exporting rail components while ensuring that domestic demand for rolling stock is met.
The committee’s report noted that India exported locomotives and passenger coaches worth Rs 608.70 crore to Mozambique and Sri Lanka in 2022 and 2023, though no such exports were recorded in 2024.
On passenger fares, Vaishnaw assured that Indian Railways continues to provide the lowest rates in the region.
Comparing fares for a 350 km journey, he said that in the general class, passengers in India pay Rs 121, while fares for the same distance stand at Rs 436 in Pakistan, Rs 323 in Bangladesh, and Rs 413 in Sri Lanka.
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