Indian Railways has finalized the tender for design, manufacture, development, integration, supply, testing, and commissioning of IGBT-based three-phase propulsion, control, and other equipment for as many as for 44 rakes of Vande Bharat type train sets, with each consisting of 16 cars. According to a recent statement released by the Railway Ministry, the procurement includes a comprehensive annual maintenance contract of five years with the supplier. The specifications were prepared after multiple deliberations with the industry at various levels for manufacturing the train sets indigenously. For the first time, the tender required a minimum of 75 per cent local content requirement of the total value.

According to the Railway Ministry, three bidders participated in the tender for 44 rakes of Vande Bharat type train sets, and the lowest offer was from the indigenous manufacturer Medha Servo Drives Limited who met the minimum local content of 75 per cent of the total value. The tender for 44 rakes of 16 car each was finalised on Medha Servo Drives Limited for all-in cost of ₹ 2211,64,59,644.

These rakes will be produced at three production units of the railway network. 24 of the rakes at Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, 10 rakes will be produced at Rail Coach Factory (RCF) in Kapurthala and the remaining 10 rakes will be produced at Modern Coach Factory (MCF) in Raebareli. According to the Railway Ministry, the delivery schedule for the supply of these 44 Vande Bharat rakes is – first, two prototype rakes will be delivered in 20 months. Upon the successful commissioning of these rakes, the company will be delivering an average of six rakes per quarter.