Indian Railways has set an ambitious target to address the inefficiency of suburban transport in the country and modernise the railway network: 800 Vande Bharat trains by 2030. This massive production plan aims to radically transform India’s railway sector.
Vande Bharat Platform Development and New Projects
Since their commissioning in 2019,Vande Bharat trains have become India’s symbol of innovation and local manufacturing. As of October 2025, 76 Vande Bharat express trains are in active service. Since these trains are superior to the old trains in terms of speed, energy efficiency and comfort, the old train sets are gradually being phased out on the main lines.
There was also an important milestone in the development of the Vande Bharat platform: the 16-car sleeper version. This version, designed in 2024 by the engineers of the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) with the support of BEML, aims to provide high comfort on night journeys with ergonomic design elements. It is planned to produce a total of 10 trains of this sleeper version in the next phase of production.
Vande Bharat Partnerships and Industrial Localisation
Vande Bharat Mission continues to strengthen India’s local manufacturing capacity. In this context, 53 train sets are being produced by Titagarh Rail Systems-BHEL consortium. These local manufacturing partnerships support India’s ambition to become a global player in the railway sector.
Through these projects, the government is investing, creating jobs and improving service quality through lower carbon emission levels. By creating local demand for components, the project attracts investment in electric train production and, according to experts, brings about a transformation of the economic model that will be the starting point for technology exports to Asian and African countries.
