For the first-time, India is set to export locomotives to a global customer. Wabtec Locomotive, which is a joint venture between Indian Railways and Wabtec, will manufacture locomotives at its Marhowra plant in Bihar, and start exports to an African customer in 2025.
“The plant will supply Evolution Series ES43ACmi locomotives to global customers. The ES43ACmi is a locomotive featuring a 4,500 HP Evolution Series engine, offering best-in-class fuel efficiency and proven performance in high-temperature environments,” the official statement said.
As per the railways ministry, the project is of strategic importance as it positions India as a global locomotive manufacturing hub and aligns with the “Make in India” and “Make for the World” initiatives under the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” vision. “It will also enable the Marhowra plant to export standard-gauge locomotives globally, expanding the local supplier footprint and fostering long-term job creation, thereby benefiting the Indian economy,” the statement said.
Established in 2018, the plant has been delivering 100 locomotives annually to the Indian railways utilising the local supplier base from across India. It has thus far added 650 locomotives to the railways fleet. The railways ministry and Wabtec will collaborate to plant’s capabilities and use it to serve global demand for locomotives, the statement said.
In May this year, US-based Wabtec Corporation started a new manufacturing campus in Rohtak with an investment of Rs 150 crore. This plant will initially manufacture transit rail components and subsystems followed by other Wabtec product lines in the coming years.