Union Minister for Railways, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, visited Alstom’s Savli facility in Vadodara, Gujarat, a key manufacturing hub for railway rolling stock in India. During the visit, he reviewed Alstom’s operations with a particular focus on maintenance practices and innovation in manufacturing.

He praised Alstom’s approach of customised solutions for each order, proposing that Indian Railways adopt a similar model. He also suggested a joint training initiative between Alstom and Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya and encouraged General Managers of all Production Units (PUs) to undertake exposure visits to the Savli unit.

The visit included discussions on incorporating sensors and artificial intelligence for preventive maintenance.

The Savli unit manufactures modern commuter and transit train cars, contributing to the Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat programmes. Over 3,400 Indian engineers are working across 21 Alstom sites globally. Since 2016, India has exported 1,002 rail cars, including 450 rail cars from Savli for Australia’s Queensland Metro.

The Savli facility has exported more than 3,800 bogies to countries such as Germany, Egypt, Sweden, Australia, and Brazil, and over 4,000 flatpacks (modules) to Vienna, Austria. Meanwhile, the Maneja unit has shipped more than 5,000 propulsion systems to global projects.

India is leading 27 international signalling projects and supporting an additional 40, with Bangalore’s Digital Experience Centre spearheading over 120 global projects using advanced technologies such as IoT, AI, blockchain, and cybersecurity.

India’s rail exports under the “Make in India and Make for the World” initiative include:

A strong ecosystem of local suppliers, including Integra, Anovi, Hind Rectifier, Hitachi Energy, and ABB, supports the Savli unit through fabrication, interiors, and electrical systems.