Indian Railways Exports First 19-Coach Rake to Bangladesh Railway: What Makes These Coaches Special?
Indian Railways has reached another important milestone in its international railway business. The Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala has rolled out its first 19-coach rake built for Bangladesh Railway, restarting a major passenger-coach export programme between the two countries. The rake consists of customised LHB broad-gauge coaches designed around Bangladesh Railway's operating requirements.
The development is significant for more than just the railway sector. It highlights India's growing ability to design and manufacture specialised rolling stock for overseas customers, while also giving RITES, the export arm of Indian Railways, an important international order to execute.
The first rake comes as part of a much larger contract for 200 broad-gauge passenger coaches, valued at around ₹915 crore and awarded to RITES in May 2024 through global competitive bidding. The project is financed by the European Investment Bank (EIB).
What Is in the First Bangladesh Railway Rake?
The first rake has 19 coaches, although the broader RITES contract is for 200 coaches to be supplied in multiple rakes.
According to the Ministry of Railways' information reported by Economic Times and Times of India, the first rake contains:
3 AC Sleeper coaches
3 AC Chair coaches
11 Non-AC Chair coaches
2 Power cars
These are not simply standard Indian Railway coaches being shipped overseas. They have been customised for Bangladesh Railway's specific operating conditions and passenger requirements.
That distinction matters. Exporting railway equipment requires manufacturers to adapt designs to the buyer's infrastructure, electrical systems, operating practices and passenger needs.
Why Is This Export Important for India?
The project demonstrates that Indian railway manufacturing is moving beyond meeting domestic demand.
Indian Railways has significantly increased its coach-production capabilities in recent years. In FY2024-25, its three major coach manufacturing units produced a combined 7,134 coaches, including 2,102 at RCF Kapurthala.
RCF itself has a long history of producing LHB coaches and has previously supplied rolling stock to international markets.
The Bangladesh relationship is particularly important because the factory already supplied 120 LHB broad-gauge passenger coaches to Bangladesh in 2015-16. The latest order therefore builds on an existing technical and commercial relationship rather than starting from scratch.
For India, successful execution of the 200-coach contract could also strengthen its credentials when competing for future railway projects in Asia, Africa and other emerging markets.
These Coaches Are Built Differently for Bangladesh
One of the most interesting aspects of the project is the amount of customisation involved.
The coaches incorporate a crashworthy design conforming to European Standard EN 15227. According to the Ministry of Railways' information, this required substantial redesign of the coach body shell to improve collision performance and passenger safety.
The electrical system has also been customised.
The Bangladesh coaches are designed for 415-volt operation, compared with the conventional 750-volt system used in Indian Railway coaches, according to the reported railway statement.
This is a good example of why railway exports are not simply about manufacturing more coaches. An export order can require engineering changes, testing, certification and integration with the customer's existing railway system.
Passenger Comfort Has Also Been Considered
The new coaches include several features aimed at improving passenger experience.
The seating configuration includes specially designed reclining seats with metallic armrests and footrests. Passengers can adjust the seats to different reclining positions.
Other features include:
Integrated CCTV surveillance
Passenger alarm systems
Partially openable windows
Baby Care Room
Prayer Room
Passenger-focused interior modifications
The coaches also include fans in AC coaches, according to the railway information.
These features show that the project was designed around Bangladesh's actual passenger environment rather than simply adapting an off-the-shelf Indian coach.
A Particularly Unusual Design Modification
One of the more unusual adaptations relates to the coach roof.
The Ministry of Railways said the roof structure has been modified to accommodate the additional load associated with passengers travelling on the roof during periods of heavy traffic.
This is an example of how local operating realities can influence rolling-stock engineering.
The requirement may sound unusual from an Indian passenger's perspective, but for an export project the manufacturer has to account for the conditions under which the customer actually operates its railway.
The ₹915-Crore Contract Behind the Project
The first rake is only a small part of the larger programme.
RITES secured the contract in May 2024 to supply 200 broad-gauge passenger coaches to Bangladesh Railway. The contract value is around ₹915 crore, and the project is financed by the European Investment Bank.
RITES has said the coaches are being manufactured at RCF Kapurthala.
In a February 2026 investor call, RITES management said the first rake would comprise around 20 coaches in its execution plan and that subsequent rakes would follow. The contractual outer limit for completing the overall order was stated as FY2029, although management indicated an intention to expedite execution.
The actual first export rake rolled out with 19 coaches, reflecting the configuration reported by the Ministry of Railways.
Why Does Bangladesh Need These Coaches?
Bangladesh Railway has been working to expand and modernise its passenger fleet.
In April 2026, Bangladesh's Railway Minister told Parliament that the country expected to add 200 broad-gauge coaches imported from India between June 2026 and December 2027. The project is backed by EIB financing.
The additional coaches are expected to support more train services and strengthen existing operations, particularly on broad-gauge routes.
Bangladesh Railway's fleet has faced capacity and ageing-related challenges, making new passenger coaches important for improving service availability and passenger comfort.
A July 2026 report from Bangladesh's Financial Express said the first batch was expected to support the expansion of western-zone passenger services, including a proposed Dhaka-Pabna service after commissioning of the first 20-coach rake.
Why the Project Matters for RITES
For investors watching Indian railway-related stocks, RITES is one company directly connected to this export programme.
RITES is not the manufacturer of the coaches; RCF Kapurthala is producing them. RITES is responsible for the export contract and associated execution.
The Bangladesh order is therefore relevant to RITES' international business and its broader strategy of expanding exports of railway rolling stock.
RITES reported FY26 revenue of ₹2,525 crore and PAT of ₹454 crore, according to the company's May 2026 results announcement.
The Bangladesh coach contract should not, however, be viewed in isolation when assessing RITES. Investors need to consider the company's overall order book, consultancy business, export pipeline, margins and execution across multiple projects.
India-Bangladesh Railway Cooperation Has History
The current project is not India's first railway export to Bangladesh.
In 2015-16, India supplied 120 broad-gauge LHB passenger coaches to Bangladesh through RITES. Those coaches were manufactured at RCF Kapurthala and included AC chair cars, first-class sleeper coaches, non-AC chair cars and power cars.
India has also previously supplied locomotives to Bangladesh Railway.
The latest 200-coach contract therefore represents a continuation of railway cooperation that has already produced operational rolling stock in Bangladesh.
The new programme is particularly notable because coach exports had been interrupted for several years. The latest shipment marks a resumption of supply after roughly a decade.
What Could Happen Next?
The immediate focus will be on the delivery and commissioning of subsequent rakes.
RITES management has previously indicated that the first rake would be followed by additional rakes, with the company seeking to increase production and shipment frequency as execution progresses.
For India, successful completion of the project could have several longer-term benefits:
Export credibility: Demonstrating that Indian factories can meet overseas technical specifications.
Manufacturing capability: More experience in customised international rolling-stock production.
RITES' export pipeline: A completed project can support future international bids.
Regional connectivity: Better railway equipment can strengthen passenger services in neighbouring countries.
Make in India: Export orders provide an international market for Indian engineering and manufacturing capabilities.
The bigger opportunity will be whether India can convert individual railway exports into a repeatable international business.
Conclusion
The Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala has rolled out the first 19-coach LHB broad-gauge rake for Bangladesh Railway, marking the revival of a major India-Bangladesh passenger-coach supply programme. The customised rake includes AC sleeper, AC chair, non-AC chair and power cars, with specialised safety, electrical and passenger-comfort features.
More importantly, this is only the beginning of a ₹915-crore, 200-coach programme being executed by RITES and manufactured at RCF Kapurthala.
The next milestone to watch is the pace of subsequent deliveries and how smoothly the coaches are commissioned in Bangladesh. If the project is executed successfully, it could strengthen India's position as an exporter of modern railway rolling stock while giving RITES and Indian Railways valuable international credentials.
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