India is poised to resume passenger coach exports to Bangladesh, with the first rake of up to 20 broad-gauge coaches expected to be ready for delivery next month under a major international contract being executed by RITES Limited.
The company is implementing a ₹915-crore order to supply 200 broad-gauge passenger coaches to Bangladesh Railway. The project, funded by the European Investment Bank, was awarded to RITES in May 2024 through a global competitive bidding process.
According to officials, preparations are underway for the handover of the first rake, which is expected to be dispatched in July. The coaches are being manufactured at the Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala, Punjab.
The shipment will mark the first export of rail coaches to Bangladesh since the political transition that followed the ouster of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Officials said the project, which faced delays amid the transition, is now back on schedule.
Beyond coach supply, the contract also covers design support, spare parts provisioning and training services. It includes a 36-month supply and commissioning period, followed by a 24-month warranty.
RITES Managing Director Rahul Mithal recently indicated that deliveries to Bangladesh are expected to commence during FY27, contributing to the company’s revenue growth in the current financial year.
The latest order builds on India’s longstanding railway cooperation with Bangladesh, which has already included the supply of 120 broad-gauge passenger coaches, 36 broad-gauge locomotives and 10 metre-gauge locomotives.
