Wabtec Locomotive Private Limited, a joint venture between Indian Railways and Wabtec, is expanding the capabilities of its plant to export locomotives to Africa. For the first time, the plant will manufacture locomotives for export to a global customer.
The plant will supply Evolution Series ES43ACmi locomotives to global customers. The ES43ACmi is a locomotive featuring a 4,500 HP Evolution Series engine, offering best-in-class fuel efficiency and proven performance in high-temperature environments. The Marhowra plant will begin exporting these locomotives in 2025.
This project is of strategic importance as it positions India as a global locomotive manufacturing hub and aligns with the “Make in India” and “Make for the World” initiatives under the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” vision of the Hon’ble Prime Minister. It will also enable the Marhowra plant to export standard-gauge locomotives globally, expanding the local supplier footprint and fostering long-term job creation, thereby benefiting the Indian economy.
The success of the public-private partnership between the Ministry of Railways and Wabtec has positioned the Marhowra plant as a world-class global manufacturing site, utilizing an extensive local supplier base from across India. To date, around 650 locomotives have been manufactured and added to the Indian Railways locomotive fleet. The Ministry of Railways and Wabtec will continue to collaborate to enhance the plant’s capability and competitiveness, positioning it for sustainable, long-term export production work.
The Marhowra plant, situated on 70 acres in Marhowra, Bihar, was established in 2018 to indigenously manufacture 1,000 state-of-the-art locomotives for Indian Railways. The plant provides employment to about 600 people and has been consistently delivering 100 locomotives annually to Indian Railways. It has also given a significant boost to industrial activities in the state.
