The Indian Railways has once again performed excellently by dispatching (DMUs) coaches to Angola, South-West Africa. This is the first-ever export of Indian manufactured DMUs to the world market. The fifteen DMU coaches, six each for two trains and three for self propelled accident relief train, which is manufactured by Integral Coach Factory (ICF), a production unit of Indian Railways in Chennai has been exported to Angola by RITES. In a ceremony the exports were flagged off, by the Minister of State for Railways, Shri R. Velu in Chennai. On the occasion, Shri Velu said that the Indian Railways had achieved yet another milestone as it is for the first time that such DMUs designed and manufactured by ICF were being exported.

He said such exports opened new vistas for similar exports in future. ICF has always been in the forefront to accept new challenges put forth by ever increasing needs of coaching stock for Indian Railways to satisfy domestic passenger rail traffic. The present endeavour of designing and manufacture of DMUs, self-propelled accident relief train and other coaches for export to Angola is testimony of ICF's continued initiative to partner with RITES to boost exports on a sustainable basis. ICF have so far manufactured 230 varieties of different designs of coaches and is still venturing into new designs and assimilating the latest technology available to provide the best comfort to the passengers, the Minister said.

The Minister further added that manufacture and dispatch of these DMUs and the self propelled accident relief train mark the successful completion of various on-going projects undertaken by RITES in Angola which include technical assistance, up-gradation of maintenance workshops and earlier export of passenger coaches manufactured in ICF and diesel locomotives manufactured in DLW, Varanasi.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri V.K. Agarwal, Managing Director, RITES said that it was a momentous occasion for both RITES and ICF as it was the first time cape gauge DMUs have been designed and manufactured in the history of Indian Railways and are being exported by RITES. He said that in the current environment of open economy it is not easy to face the onslaught of global forces and RITES has indeed emerged triumphant in a stiff market as one of the leading consultancy organizations of international repute. He said that the rapid growth in exports of locomotives and rolling stock achieved by RITES during last few years would not have been possible had it not been for total support and encouragement received from Indian Railways.

The major ongoing export projects include, leasing of 25 locomotives in Tanzania and 20 locomotives in Mozambique; supply of 20 locomotives to Myanmar; leasing of 23 passenger coaches to Tanzania; rehabilitation of 73 and 88 class locomotives in Tanzania; rehabilitation of GE locomotives and wagons in Mozambique; rehabilitation of Traction equipment in Angola and maintenance support to locomotives for CDN, Nacala, Mozambique.