Titagarh Rail Systems, India’s largest freight wagon manufacturer, is exploring the export market to expand its presence in the global passenger rail segment. This move aligns with the global shift towards diversifying supply chains beyond China, known as the China Plus One strategy.
The Kolkata-based company already has a footprint in Europe through its Italian subsidiary, Titagarh Firema, which manufactures passenger and metro coaches. Now, it aims to export Make in India products worldwide.
Prithish Chowdhary, Deputy Managing Director of Titagarh Rail Systems, highlighted the high growth potential in the export market, especially for passenger rail systems. “There is a global sentiment of China Plus One and people are not keen on buying from China. The cost structure between European and Indian companies in all aspects whether engineering or manufacturing in rail systems, there is a huge arbitrage we can get. We will focus on the export market very keenly,” Chowdhary told Business Today.
A team from Titagarh Rail Systems has been assessing business prospects in South and Southeast Asia, West Asia, Africa, the US, and South America. The company is close to completing a prototype for a converter, a key technological item for the Rome metro system, which is being built in Uttarpara. This marks the first time such a high-tech item is being made in India and fitted in a European metro rail system.
Going forward, Titagarh Rail Systems aims to adopt the ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ approach. The company plans to stabilize its position in the Indian passenger rail system market before focusing on exports.
