India’s first indigenous high-speed train set to enter manufacturing phase soon
NRE DELHI : Manufacturing activities for India’s first indigenous high-speed train are expected to begin soon, with the design phase nearing completion, sources familiar with the development told Moneycontrol. The project is being executed by BEML-Medha, which received the contract from Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in 2024 to build two chair-car high-speed trainsets. Designed for an operational speed of 250 kmph and a maximum speed of 280 kmph, the trains will be deployed on Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (HSR) corridor by 2027.
ICF general manager U Subba Rao told Moneycontrol, “The final design is nearing completion, and manufacturing will begin once it is frozen. We expect manufacturing to start between April and June. Component designs including carbody, bogies, suspension system, and doors are being developed in parallel and are in the final stages.”
Each trainset will consist of eight coaches, including seven chair cars and one executive class coach, with pantry and toilet facilities broadly aligned with those seen in chair-car Vande Bharat trains.
Design phase nearing completion
Sources said the design phase of the project is nearing completion, with Poland-based EC Engineering- design consultant for the project-having submitted detailed design for review and approval. EC Engineering had earlier worked with BEML and Medha on the design of the Vande Bharat sleeper train. Officials involved in the project said global vendors with a proven track record of supplying European high-speed rail systems have been engaged to ensure compliance with international performance and safety benchmarks. “We are also enabling localisation and the gradual development of domestic manufacturing capabilities” an official said.
Moneycontrol has also accessed interior renders of the proposed high-speed train, which will be deployed on Mumbai-Ahmedabad HSR corridor. Parallel work on systems and bogies
Manufacturing activities are expected to commence with the fabrication of carbody shells at BEML’s Bengaluru plant, while Medha will begin production of bogies at its Hyderabad facility. In parallel, Medha is also developing the Train Control and Management System (TCMS) software and working on the integration of Siemens’ signalling system with the train systems.
Prototype rollout targeted for December 2026
The first prototype of the indigenous high-speed train is expected to roll out by December 2026. “Following this, the train will undergo a comprehensive testing and certification programme lasting about seven to eight months, covering static and dynamic trials, safety validations, and high-speed test runs, including trials mandated by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO),” a source said.
Follow-on order for 16 trainsets likely
Industry sources said the BEML-Medha consortium is likely to receive a follow-on order for 16 additional high-speed trainsets.
Phased start to commercial operations
Commercial services using the first two indigenous trainsets likely to begin on Surat–Bilimora section of the corridor, subject to the successful completion of trials and statutory approvals.
Railways Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw has recently said that the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail project will be commissioned in phases starting in 2027. He said the Surat-Bilimora section will be opened on August 15, 2027, followed by successive sections-Vapi-Surat, Vapi-Ahmedabad, Thane-Ahmedabad, and Mumbai-Ahmedabad.
Project background
The 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor will connect Maharashtra and Gujarat through 12 stations. While Japanese Shinkansen E5 trains, capable of speeds of up to 350 kmph, were originally planned for the corridor, high procurement costs led the Union government to pursue an indigenous high-speed train programme.
Source : Moneycontrol