Prime Minister Narendra Modi has flagged off India’s first 9,000-horsepower electric freight locomotive at Dahod, Gujarat, marking a major leap in the country’s rail freight capabilities. This high-capacity engine is part of Indian Railways’ broader push to increase its freight share from 27 per cent to 45 per cent.

The locomotive is the first of 1,200 units to be delivered by Siemens under a Rs 214.05 billion contract awarded by the Indian Railways. The project involves the design, engineering, manufacturing and maintenance of these heavy-haul electric locomotives.

While Siemens’ plants in Nashik, Aurangabad, and Mumbai are supplying critical components, final assembly, testing and commissioning are being carried out at the Dahod workshop, which has also been newly developed.

Each locomotive can operate at a maximum speed of 120 km/hr and haul up to 5,800 tonnes of freight, making it a crucial asset in improving rail-based logistics. The fleet is expected to enhance efficiency across India’s freight corridors and support economic growth through more reliable and powerful railway transport.