Knorr-Bremse to equip India’s first high-speed trains

The construction of India’s first high-speed trains marks the beginning of a new era of mobility – and Knorr-Bremse is right there at the start. BEML Ltd., Bangalore based rail and metro coach maker, will manufacture the first two prototype trains. To this end, BEML placed an order with Knorr-Bremse in the third quarter of 2025 for system technologies, including braking and entrance systems as well as air conditioning and sanitary systems. The order for the pioneering transportation project underscores Knorr-Bremse's technological leadership and its strong position in the Indian market.

Dr. Nicolas Lange, Member of the Executive Board of Knorr-Bremse AG and responsible for the Rail Division worldwide: “By equipping the first Indian high-speed trains, we have secured a pioneering mobility project, which we will support with local engineering and development expertise. We have been a reliable partner to the rail transportation industry in India for over 30 years and invest in technological capabilities and customer proximity on site. Our modern locations and our presence underscore the importance of India as a transportation market – both for the manufacture of products for India and for global export.”

Frank Uder, member of the management board of Knorr-Bremse Asia Pacific: “BEML and Knorr-Bremse have already worked together successfully on numerous rail projects in India. We are delighted to now be contributing our technological expertise in safety and quality to India's pioneering high-speed segment. Our worldwide know-how in high-speed train applications combined with local engineering excellence in our plant in Palwal and our technology center in Pune, will provide state-of-art system solutions to the Indian railway market.”

The era of high-speed trains begins
The BEML trains are establishing a new travel and transportation concept in India. Designed for speeds up to 280 km/h, they will operate on 558 kilometers of high-speed track between Mumbai and Ahmedabad in western India. The corridor, which includes a 22-kilometer underwater tunnel, is currently under construction. It is part of a comprehensive mobility initiative designed to reduce travel times between two of India's most important commercial cities. Further high-speed corridors are being examined, underscoring the future momentum of Indian rail mobility.

Deliveries starting in 2026 including long-term service contract
BEML will initially manufacture two prototypes of the new train platform. Starting in the second quarter of 2026, Knorr-Bremse will supply customer-specific system solutions, thereby contributing to safe, sustainable, and comfortable rail mobility in India. While the car builder BEML will be responsible for the maintenance of the trains, Knorr-Bremse RailServices will deliver maintenance, repair, and spare parts supply for the installed technologies over a period of 15 years. The current contract to equip the two train prototypes could be followed by an order for a further ten train sets from BEML.

Knorr-Bremse has been investing in the growth market of India for many years, with competence centers in Palwal, Pune, and most recently in Chennai, where the global Knorr-Bremse Center for Artificial Intelligence is providing additional innovation impetus. This latest order success in the high-speed sector confirms that its close local ties, combined with international group expertise, make Knorr-Bremse a sought-after partner for India's mobility future.

www.knorr-bremse.com