Modi flags off powerful 9000 HP electric freight locomotive made mostly in India

Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi flagged off the first of the new D9–9000 HP electric locomotives at Indian Railways’ factory in Dahod, Gujarat, marking a significant milestone in India’s rail freight modernisation.

Details on the unveiling of an electric freight locomotive made mostly in India

The D9 locomotives, among the most powerful freight engines globally, feature approximately 90% Indian-made technologies and are designed to save an estimated 800 million tons of CO₂ emissions over their lifecycle. Siemens Mobility was awarded the contract to design, engineer, manufacture, and maintain 1,200 of these locomotives, with key components produced at Siemens’ factories in Nashik, Aurangabad, and Mumbai, and final assembly at the Dahod facility.

This state-of-the-art factory was built in under two years and includes advanced features such as Virtual Reality safety training, a locomotive simulator, and loco-shunters to improve carriage movement efficiency. Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility, said: “Prime Minister Modi’s visit marks a proud milestone in our journey to deliver 1,200 high-performance electric locomotives for India. After two years of intense planning, engineering, and international collaboration, we are now entering full production mode with our teams in Nashik, Aurangabad, Mumbai, and Dahod making this vision a reality.

The D9 is a symbol of sustainable progress and will increase the share of freight transported by rail in one of the largest freight markets in the world. The locomotives have the potential to replace up to 800,000 trucks and save over 800 million tons of CO₂ emissions over its lifecycle.

Together with Indian Rail, we are setting new standards in rail efficiency and environmental sustainability.” Each locomotive offers a haulage capacity of 5,800 tons and a top speed of 120 km/h, designed to efficiently transport freight across India’s extensive rail network.

Siemens will provide maintenance for the locomotives’ entire 35-year lifespan, utilising the Railigent X platform for predictive maintenance to ensure maximum availability and performance. Equipped with the Kavach safety system and green propulsion technology, these locomotives represent a major leap forward in modern, sustainable rail transport for India.