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Indian Railways explores export opportunities for Vande Bharat locomotives
Industry News- Dec 04,23
The current trains are suitable for broad gauge, customisation may be necessary to adapt to the standard gauges used by many countries globally.
The Indian Railways has received inquiries regarding the potential export of its flagship Vande Bharat locomotives, with interest notably coming from Chile. Although discussions have taken place, no concrete orders have been finalised at this stage.
The primary focus continues to be on serving the domestic market, with plans for design modifications to target international markets in the future. The availability of manufacturing facilities is a key consideration in this regard.
An official stated, "Chile has expressed some interest in the Vande Bharat designs. These inquiries, however, are at a very general level, and it will take some time before they materialise into actual orders." The official expressed satisfaction at the growing international interest in these indigenous designs.
India has been actively promoting the Vande Bharat locomotives as a potential export offering, with a specific focus on Latin American and African nations where there is demand for electric locomotives. While the current trains are suitable for broad gauge, customisation may be necessary to adapt to the standard gauges used by many countries globally.
The manufacturing cost of a 16-coach Vande Bharat train is approximately ?130 crore. RITES, the export arm of Indian Railways, has secured rolling stock orders valued at ?2,100 crore, including orders to Sri Lanka and Mozambique.
Additionally, India aims to become an exporter of forged wheels in the next three to five years. A consortium of Ramkrishna Forgings and Titagarh Wagons is in the process of setting up a manufacturing unit with an annual capacity of producing 228,000 wheels. The Ministry has committed to an annual offtake of 80,000 wheels, meeting the Railways' requirements, while the remaining 140,000 wheels are intended for export. Construction plans for the facility are progressing, with work expected to commence in the next six months. Currently, India imports forged wheels from various countries, incurring an import bill of around ?520 crore.
Source: Business Line
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