New Delhi, 3 April 2025: Indian Railways has once again made the country proud. On the strength of ‘Made in India’, India has set a new record in the production of rail engines by leaving behind continents like America, Europe, South America, Africa and Australia. In the financial year 2024-25, Indian Railways manufactured 1,681 locomotive engines, which is more than any country globally. This achievement is not only a proof of technical prowess but also a big step towards self-reliant India.

Indian Railways, which handles the responsibility of transporting millions of passengers to their destinations every day, is now surprising the world in terms of innovation and production as well. Be it the world’s tallest arch bridge or the auto lift bridge over the sea, the engineering of railways makes headlines every time. But this time, the story is about locomotives, which are strengthening the country’s economic backbone—freight transportation.

19% jump in production

Highlighting this achievement, a Railway Board spokesperson said, “Locomotive production has increased by 19 per cent in the financial year 2024-25. Last year we manufactured 1,472 locomotives, and this year the figure has reached 1,681.” This number not only reflects India’s growing industrial prowess, but also creates a new identity for the country in the field of global rail transport.

Reports suggest that the ‘Made in India’ campaign made this boom possible. The figures testify to this—a total of 4,695 locomotives were manufactured in the 10 years between 2004 and 2014, i.e. an average of 469.5 locomotives per year. But in the decade from 2014 to 2024, this number more than doubled to 9,168, with an annual average of 917. And now, India has set a new benchmark with 1,681 engines in 2024-25.

Chittaranjan won

The biggest contributor to this stellar performance was Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW) in West Bengal, where 700 engines were manufactured. After this, Banaras Locomotive Works made 477 engines, while Patiala Locomotive Works produced 304, Madhupura 100 and Marhaura 100 engines. These figures show how active the production units of railways are in different corners of the country.

Most of the engines manufactured are for freight transport, which is considered the backbone of the Indian economy. The engines manufactured this year include 1,047 WAG 9/9H, 7 WAG 9HH, 148 WAG 9 Twins, 2 WAP 5 and 272 WAP 7 locomotives. These powerful engines are capable of running freight trains with speed and efficiency.

India’s dominance on the global stage

Railway expert Professor Ajay Singh says, “It is not just a game of numbers. Leaving behind countries like America and Europe is a proof of India’s technical capability and self-reliance. While these countries are dependent on outsourcing, India is producing on its own.” He believes that this achievement will prove to be a milestone in the direction of modernization and indigenization of railways.

However, the challenges are also not less. Experts say that along with increasing production, attention will also have to be paid to maintenance and infrastructure. But for now, this achievement is a matter of pride for every Indian. The Railway Minister termed it as “New Speed ​​of New India” and said, “Our goal is not just to run trains, but to show our strength to the world.”

The way forward

This success of Indian Railways is not only a story of technological advancement, but also shows that with the right policies and hard work, one can compete at the global level. In the coming years, the railways aim to focus on green energy and electric engines, which will benefit the environment as well as the economy.

For now, this achievement gives every citizen of the country an opportunity to say—Indian Railways is not just a means of transport, but a symbol of our strength and determination.