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BEML is set to start manufacturing India’s first bullet train prototype by September 2025 at its Bengaluru facility.
The rollout is targeted for December 2026. (Photo Credit: X)
Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), a government-owned company, is scheduled to start building India’s first bullet train prototype in September at its Bengaluru plant. This facility, which currently manufactures Vande Bharat sleeper trainsets, will now also contribute to the country’s high-speed rail ambitions. The project signals a major leap in India’s efforts to modernise its railway network and introduce cutting-edge transport solutions.
BEML Chairman and Managing Director (MD), Shantanu Roy told Financial Express that the first bullet train set is expected to undergo speed trials by December next year. BEML has secured the contract to design, manufacture, and commission two high-speed trainsets as part of India’s ambitious bullet train project.
“The work is at the design stage right now. The critical design part should be over in a couple of months, and we will start the manufacturing activity by September. It involves a lot of new learning and the next level of technology in areas like passenger safety, sheet metal work, welding, signalling, and train control management system (TCMS),” Roy told Financial Express.
Last October, BEML was reportedly assigned the task by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) to develop two high-speed trainsets entirely within India. Each trainset will feature eight coaches and be built to reach speeds of up to 280 kmph. While testing will be done at full speed, the trains are expected to operate at 249 kmph.
Reportedly, the total cost of the project stands at Rs 866.87 crore, translating to about Rs 27.86 crore per coach—substantially cheaper than the latest Shinkansen coaches, which range between Rs 46–48 crore each.
BEML, the Bengaluru-based defence public sector undertaking (PSU), claims its high-speed trains are more cost-efficient than those of competitors. This advantage comes from using domestically sourced products and components, including the stainless steel used in manufacturing.
BEML Chairman and Managing Director, Roy added that BEML aims to have the first coach of the train ready by the end of FY26, after which it will undergo extensive testing to ensure quality and performance.
“In a high-speed train, weight is most important so it has to be lightweight. Some tests that will carried out include the squeeze test and climatic chamber test which is meant to check its durability in different conditions. Once this coach is approved, there will be a bulk production of 15 more cars which won’t take much time,” Roy told the publication.
The prototype of India’s first bullet train is anticipated to be completed by December 2026, after which it will undergo oscillation and speed trials directly on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) route.
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Delhi, India, India
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