India's Ministry of Railways recently awarded GE a $2.6 billion contract to develop and supply 1,000 diesel locomotives for Indian Railways, including $200 million to build a locomotive manufacturing facility in the state of Bihar.
This is the largest deal for GE and India in the more than 100 years they have been working together.
“This deal marks a major milestone for both parties,” Richard Simpson, general manager of Global Supply Chain for GE Transportation, told TI Daily News. “We’re excited to deepen our commitment there and advance Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi’s Make in India initiative.”
According to the Make in India website (www.makeinindia.com), the program was launched in 2014 to transform India into a global design and manufacturing hub.
“The partnership will help modernize the country’s railway infrastructure, provide development opportunities for local talent and ultimately, further establish India’s position as a global manufacturing destination,” Simpson said.
In the past century, GE and India have partnered on many pivotal projects.
“In 2007, Air India became the first India-based operator to offer direct, nonstop flights between India and the U.S. with its Boeing 777-200LR Worldliner aircraft, powered by GE’s GE90-115B engine,” Simpson said. “More recently, in 2013, GE Healthcare and Nuclear Healthcare Ltd. partnered to open a network of molecular imaging centers across India in an effort to provide more affordable access to PET/CT imaging.”
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