Ashwini Vaishnaw Showcases ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ at Alstom Plant Visit

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently visited Alstom’s coach manufacturing unit in Savli, Vadodara, where metro and intercity train coaches are being built for both Indian and international markets. The visit highlighted India’s expanding footprint in the global rail industry under the government’s ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ initiative.

During the review of operations at the facility, Vaishnaw examined maintenance systems and commended Alstom’s customised design approach. “This is an innovation Indian Railways could emulate,” he remarked, suggesting that Indian Railways could benefit from similar design models.

The Minister proposed collaborative training initiatives with Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya and recommended that General Managers from all railway production units conduct exposure visits to the Savli plant. He also discussed integrating advanced technologies like sensors and artificial intelligence for preventive maintenance practices.

Alstom’s Savli unit has emerged as a major export hub, having supplied over 450 metro coaches for the Queensland metro in Australia. The company has exported more than 3,800 bogies and 4,000 flatpacks to countries including Germany, Egypt, Sweden, Brazil, and Austria. Meanwhile, the Maneja facility in Gujarat has delivered over 5,000 propulsion systems to international clients.

India’s growing rail exports now span a diverse range of countries and components — from metro coaches to Canada and Australia, to bogies for the UK and France, and even locomotives for countries such as Mozambique and Bangladesh.

In addition to rolling stock, India is making strides in railway signalling technology. The country is currently leading 27 global signalling projects and supporting another 40, driven by the Digital Experience Centre in Bengaluru. This global outreach is being bolstered by strong support from domestic suppliers like ABB and Hitachi Energy.

The Railway Minister’s visit to the Alstom facility underscores India’s emergence as a key player in the global railway manufacturing sector, aligning with the broader vision of making India a global hub for high-tech infrastructure production.

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