Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday said that Indian Railways is rapidly emerging as a global hub for the export of bogies, coaches, locomotives, and propulsion systems, driven by the ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ initiative. During a visit to Alstom’s manufacturing facility at Savli in Vadodara, Gujarat, the minister reviewed ongoing operations and appreciated the company’s approach to designing customised solutions for every order.
He suggested that Indian Railways adopt similar practices to enhance efficiency and innovation in domestic production. He also proposed developing a joint training programme between Alstom and Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, aimed at improving technical knowledge and collaboration.
To further this initiative, he recommended that General Managers from various Production Units undertake exposure visits to the Savli facility. Discussions also focused on the integration of sensors and artificial intelligence in preventive maintenance systems.
The Savli facility is a critical manufacturing site for India’s rail sector, producing advanced commuter and transit train cars while strongly aligning with the Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ and ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiatives. More than 3,400 Indian engineers are currently collaborating across 21 Alstom sites globally, a sign of India’s increasing integration into international manufacturing networks. Since 2016, the country has exported over 1,000 rail cars for global projects, of which 450 were built at Savli and exported to Australia for the Queensland Metro.
The Savli unit has exported over 3,800 bogies to countries such as Germany, Egypt, Sweden, Australia, and Brazil. More than 4,000 flatpacks have been supplied to Vienna, Austria. Meanwhile, Alstom’s Maneja unit has exported over 5,000 propulsion systems to global projects.
India is currently leading 27 international signalling projects and providing support to 40 others globally. The Digital Experience Centre in Bengaluru is supporting more than 120 projects around the world by developing next-generation railway signalling technologies using IoT, artificial intelligence, blockchain, and cybersecurity tools.
As part of the expanding export portfolio, metro coaches have been sent to Australia and Canada, bogies to the UK, Saudi Arabia, France, and Australia, and propulsion systems to France, Mexico, Romania, Spain, Germany, and Italy. Indian passenger coaches have reached Mozambique, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, while locomotives have been exported to Mozambique, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and the Republic of Guinea.
The growth in exports has also bolstered the local economy around manufacturing hubs like Savli. The industrial cluster supporting Alstom’s operations includes firms such as Integra, Anovi, Hind Rectifier, Hitachi Energy, and ABB, specialising in areas like fabrication, interiors, and electrical systems.
Vaishnaw said that India’s increasing role as a reliable exporter of rail infrastructure is not just driving economic growth but also helping Indian engineers and workers align with global quality benchmarks. “The success of the Make in India mission is reflected in the fact that Indian Railways products and systems are now present in several countries. It is generating employment, building expertise, and positioning India as a trusted global rail partner,” he added.