The ceremony was attended by Indian Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, and various officials. Credit: Government of India/Press Information Bureau.

The foundation stone for the ‘Brahma–BEML Rail Manufacturing Hub’ was laid in Umaria village, located in the Bhojpur Assembly of Madhya Pradesh, with an investment of Rs18bn ($205.1m).

The ceremony was attended by Indian Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, local MP and Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav, and other officials, while Railways Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw participated via virtual means.

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Chouhan said: “From now on, whether it’s food, clothing, oil, shampoo, or cosmetics — whatever we buy for our homes will be made in India.

“If 1.44 billion Indians start adopting Swadeshi, our economy will become stronger. This is what it means to live for the country.”

The new facility will feature “advanced” capabilities for the design, production, assembly, and testing of various train models.

These models include Vande Bharat trainsets, metro and rapid rail coaches, and high-speed rail rolling stock as well as defence-related products.

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Chouhan noted that the industrial development in Umaria, mentioning that the Mandideep industrial area is home to 752 operational units, generating exports valued at approximately Rs200bn.

He has also stated that the rail manufacturing hub is expected to enhance the region’s economic growth, creating more than 5,000 job opportunities for local residents and supporting the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) sector.

Last month, Indian Railways tested its first hydrogen-powered locomotive at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, as announced by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

This hydrogen locomotive is a crucial component of the “Hydrogen for Heritage” initiative, which plans to introduce 35 hydrogen-powered trains on heritage and hill routes nationwide.

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