India plans to begin exporting complete Vande Bharat trains to international markets within the next 3-4 years, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said at the launch of the Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper Express on November 1. He said Indian Railways was improving each successive version of the indigenously developed trainsets and preparing them for overseas markets.

India has already started exporting railway components and equipment, including propulsion systems and bogies, to Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy and the United States. The proposed export of complete trainsets would expand the country’s existing railway equipment business, which includes locomotives, passenger coaches, traction motors, propulsion systems and other products.

Information provided by the Ministry of Railways to Parliament in March 2026 showed that Indian railway rolling stock and component exports were worth approximately Rs. 260 bn between 2016-17 and January 2026. Indian manufacturers have supplied equipment to overseas markets as the government seeks to increase the sector’s international presence.

Indian Railways and state-owned engineering consultancy RITES are examining opportunities to take Vande Bharat trains abroad. RITES is working with Indian Railways on a standard-gauge version for international markets, while existing Vande Bharat services operate on broad-gauge tracks. Standard gauge is widely used across international railway networks.

The export plans coincided with the introduction of the Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper Express. The fully air-conditioned train has 16 coaches and 823 berths across First AC, AC Two-Tier and AC Three-Tier categories, covering approximately 1,118 km in around 16 hours. Regular services began from Mumbai on November 2 and are scheduled to start from Bengaluru on November 3. The service will operate six days a week, excluding Mondays from Bengaluru and Tuesdays from Mumbai.