The partnership between India and Russia for manufacturing Vande Bharat sleeper trains has encountered significant challenges due to requested design alterations. The Russian rolling stock company, Transmashholding (TMH), has escalated the issue to diplomatic channels for resolution.
Diplomatic Discussions Over Design Issues
The dispute was a key agenda item during a high-level meeting involving Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov. Speaking about the discussions, TMH CEO Kirill Lipa said, “We raised this issue during this meeting, and we hope that it was raised in the right manner and on the right level.”
Scope of the Project
The project is being executed by Kinet, a joint venture comprising TMH, Locomotive Electronic Systems (LES), and Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL). The consortium is responsible for supplying 1,920 Vande Bharat sleeper coaches to Indian Railways. Additionally, it includes maintenance of these coaches for a 35-year period. The initial timeline, agreed upon in September 2023, aimed to deliver the first prototype within 24 months. However, delays in design approvals have raised concerns about meeting this deadline.
Engineering vs. Design Challenges
TMH has expressed the need for governmental intervention to address the delays. CEO Lipa explained, “It’s not about design of the coach. It’s the engineering behind it. While design can always be tweaked, the real problem comes for the systems around. The whole layout of the coach is disturbed.”
Requested Modifications by Indian Railways
On May 24, 2024, TMH received a formal request from Indian Railways for substantial changes to the train’s specifications. These included altering the composition from 120 trains with 16 cars each to 80 trains with 24 cars each. Other changes involved adding more toilets (from three to four per car), integrating pantry cars, and including luggage zones—elements absent in the original design.
Indian Railways’ Response
Indian Railways acknowledged the situation, explaining that the proposed technical modifications were based on MCMA requirements. Responses to these modifications were received after 4-5 months and are currently under review.
The resolution of these design disputes will be critical for the timely execution of this high-profile collaboration, which represents a significant milestone in India-Russia industrial cooperation.