Indian Railways has crossed the one-billion-tonne mark in freight movement, recording about 1,020 million tonnes in the 2025–26 financial year as of 19 November. The milestone marks a major achievement for the railways and underscores its growing role in India’s economic development. According to the Ministry of Railways, the performance reflects broad-based support from key sectors: coal remains the largest contributor at 505 million tonnes, followed by iron ore (115 million tonnes), cement (92 million tonnes), container traffic (59 million tonnes), pig iron and finished steel (47 million tonnes), fertilisers (42 million tonnes), mineral oil (32 million tonnes), food grains (30 million tonnes), raw materials for steel plants (around 20 million tonnes), and other goods (74 million tonnes). Daily loading remains strong at around 4.4 million tonnes, up from 4.2 million tonnes last year, signalling improved efficiency and sustained demand. Official data show that freight loading between April and October reached 935.1 million tonnes in 2025, compared with 906.9 million tonnes in the same period last year, indicating healthy year-on-year growth. To strengthen freight operations further, the railways recently launched a bulk-cement policy promoting the movement of cement in specialised railway-built tank containers. Recognising cement’s importance in India’s infrastructure push, the railways have also introduced measures such as the Policy for Bulk Cement Terminals and rationalised rates for containerised bulk-cement transport. “These measures aim to enhance bulk-handling capacity, reduce transit times and lower logistics costs, directly benefiting industry and consumers while improving supply-chain efficiency,” the ministry said. It added that such reforms help cut carbon emissions, ease highway congestion and provide industries, including MSMEs, with greener logistics options. These developments reinforce India’s commitment to sustainable growth and position the railways as a catalyst for both economic and environmental progress.