Russia has proposed its Ivolga FG high-speed train concept for India, with Russian rolling stock major Transmashholding (TMH) offering to jointly develop and manufacture the trains in the country. The proposal was presented on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit held in New Delhi, adding a new dimension to the expanding India-Russia cooperation in the railway sector.
The Ivolga FG concept has a proposed design speed of 360 kmph and is being positioned by TMH as a potential high-speed rail solution for the Indian market. The Russian company has proposed joint research and development in high-speed railway technology, combining Russian engineering and scientific expertise with local manufacturing capabilities in India.
The proposal comes at a time when India is expanding its ambitions in high-speed and semi-high-speed rail infrastructure. The country’s railway modernisation programme has increasingly focused on faster passenger services, improved rolling stock and the development of domestic manufacturing capabilities.
TMH already has an established presence in India’s railway manufacturing ecosystem through Kinet Railway Solutions, a joint venture involving Transmashholding and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL). The partnership provides an existing industrial platform through which the Russian company is participating in India’s passenger train manufacturing programme. Under the existing project, the partnership is working on the manufacture and maintenance of 120 Vande Bharat sleeper trainsets for Indian Railways. Each trainset comprises 16 coaches, with production taking place at the Marathwada Rail Coach Factory in Latur, Maharashtra. The proposed Ivolga FG programme would therefore build upon an existing India-Russia railway partnership rather than representing an entirely new industrial relationship. TMH’s proposal for joint development and production could potentially deepen cooperation by moving into higher-speed railway technology.
