India is also leading 27 international signalling projects and supporting another 40 worldwide
Indian Railways is rapidly establishing itself as a key global supplier of railway components, driven by the government’s ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ initiative, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday during a review visit to Alstom’s Savli manufacturing facility in Gujarat.
Vaishnaw conducted a detailed assessment of Alstom’s operations and praised the company’s approach to customising solutions for individual orders. Highlighting the importance of skill development, he proposed a joint training programme between Indian Railways, Alstom, and Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya to enhance innovation in railway operations and maintenance. He also recommended exposure visits for General Managers of Indian Railways production units to the Savli facility.
“Exports of rail components from India are not only rising, but also generating high-quality employment and advancing local expertise in global rail standards,” Vaishnaw told the media. He emphasised that Indian engineers are now working with global teams on advanced technologies, a significant gain for the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ visions.
Alstom’s Savli unit has become a major contributor to India’s railway exports. Since 2016, India has exported 1,002 rail cars for international projects, including 450 from Savli for Australia’s Queensland Metro. The unit has also exported over 3,800 bogies to markets such as Germany, Egypt, Sweden, and Brazil, and over 4,000 flatpacks to Austria. Its sister facility in Maneja has supplied more than 5,000 propulsion systems globally.
India is also leading 27 international signalling projects and supporting another 40 worldwide. With a strong engineering base of 3,400 professionals collaborating across 21 Alstom sites, India is now a central hub for designing and delivering railway solutions globally.
The digital innovation push is led by Alstom’s Digital Experience Centre in Bengaluru, which is supporting more than 120 projects using technologies like IoT, AI, blockchain, and cybersecurity.
Vaishnaw noted that India’s expanding role in the global rail supply chain is underpinned by a robust local ecosystem, supported by suppliers like Hitachi Energy, ABB, Integra, and Hind Rectifier, which contribute to fabrication, interiors, and electrification components.
