India’s global industrial ambitions, the first freight locomotive built at the Marhowra unit in Bihar is set to be exported to West Africa next month, jointly unveiled by Wabtec Corporation and Indian Railways.
This milestone reaffirms India’s rising stature in high-value engineering exports and showcases the country’s growing role in global freight connectivity.The unveiling, held at the state-of-the-art Marhowra facility, marked the beginning of India’s locomotive exports to the African continent under a long-term deal to supply over 100 fuel-efficient engines across four years.
These powerful units—tailored to the operational needs and climate of the recipient nation—highlight India’s capacity to deliver sophisticated, heavy-duty rail infrastructure solutions at scale.What makes this development remarkable is not just its diplomatic or commercial significance, but its foundation in ‘Make in India’ ethos.
Established in 2015 as a public-private partnership between Indian Railways and Wabtec, the Marhowra plant has already delivered more than 700 next-generation locomotives to India’s national carrier. With the first batch of African-bound units undergoing final safety validations and expected to ship from Gujarat’s Mundra Port by June 2025, the export timeline reinforces India’s credibility as a reliable manufacturing hub.
Wabtec officials noted that these locomotives—part of the globally renowned Evolution Series—have been adapted for standard gauge tracks, extreme temperatures, and West Africa’s specific freight requirements. The export deal comes at a pivotal time for the West African country, which is ramping up its rail freight network to support its largest iron ore mining project to date.
These locomotives will serve as critical assets in the movement of bulk cargo, helping the country scale up its mineral exports.Crucially, this project does not come at the cost of Indian Railways’ own delivery commitments. Wabtec has scaled up operations and workforce capacity to balance both domestic and export priorities.
According to Sujatha Narayan, Senior Vice President and India Region Leader at Wabtec, the African order reaffirms India’s technological credibility in sustainable rail logistics and validates years of engineering investment in energy-efficient locomotive platforms.
The Marhowra plant’s growing global footprint reflects the broader ambition of India’s railway modernisation and its green transition. Locomotives being shipped abroad are fuel-efficient and tailored for long-haul freight, aligning with India’s own goals of decarbonising its transport network.
While the export itself is a bilateral commercial success, its symbolic value lies in the confidence global markets are placing in Indian rail engineering. From Bihar’s rail heartland to African mineral corridors, India’s industrial story is shifting gears—quietly but resolutely.