Reinforcing Indian Railway Manufacturing Ecosystems Is Crucial In Achieving Amrit Kaal And Climate Change Goals

The article guides us through the transformative impact of the visionary ‘Make in India’ campaign, covering aspects from job creation to propelling India’s rapid recovery and economic emergence.It underscores the potential of India’s railway manufacturing ecosystem in achieving sustainable mobility and climate change goals.

In 2014, the Honourable Prime Minister of India issued a clarion call, ‘Come, Make in India’! From that day, the Make in India initiative ignited a spark of industrial ambition that transformed the way the world perceives the country. Beyond just the slogan, the Government of India took landmark steps that gave impetus to manufacturing, innovation, and startup sectors, among others. These initiatives played a significant role in helping the country recover rapidly from the impact of the pandemic and emerge as one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.

Make in India also served as a job creation engine where investments from both homegrown companies and multinationals fuelled a wave of expansion across key sectors such as automobiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals and of course the railways. One such example was the pioneering Public Private Partnership (PPP) between Alstom and Indian Railways, which saw the setting up of a world-class locomotive factory in Madhepura, Bihar, the largest Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) project in the Indian Railway sector. Madhepura, also referred as India’s e-loco capital, has produced more than 350 electric locomotives that have transformed freight haulage in the country. Moreover, it epitomises the ideals of ‘Make in India’ by creating thousands of jobs directly and indirectly. The locomotives produced at Madhepura have also helped create a strong localised supply chain, with 90 percent of the components sourced locally.