India Rail Vision 2047 is a set of plans to modernize Indian Railways, with key goals including constructing 7,000 km of high-speed, dedicated passenger corridors by 2047, and upgrading trains to next-generation models like Vande Bharat 4.0. This vision is part of the broader "Viksit Bharat" (Developed India) 2047 goal and includes modern signalling, advanced control centres and improved passenger amenities.

The current budget proposed a 10% increase in capex with 2,74,000 crore allocation to year 2026-27. Indian Railways has utilised Rs 1,42,487 crore (17 billion USD) out of the total Rs 2,52,200 crore (30.40 billion USD) budgetary allocation for FY 2025-26 till September 2025 which is over 56% of the total allocated budget for the financial year. This record performance is linked to record acceleration in modernising railway infrastructure.

57% of the rail network is expected to exceed 150% capacity utilisation by 2051. To address this network congestion and accommodate the growing demand, the government planned ambitious capacity expansion projects under the NRP, envisaging an augmentation (doubling and signalling) of the network by 75,194 route kilometre till 2051 at an estimated cost of around INR 6 lakh crore.

As of 1 April 2025, 68,701 route kilometres (rkm) were electrified, which is 98.83% of the total broad-gauge network (69,512 rkm, including Konkan Railway). IR currently operates about 18,000 trains every day, of which 8,000 are freight trains.

There is an urgent need to shift the focus of the Indian Railways towards translating investments in track infrastructure to improve average speeds of trains and enhanced transit reliability.

In order to develop a high-performing and safe railway network, the railways sector must combine track development investments with the implementation of the automatic block signaling (ABS) and the automatic train protect system Kavach on all sections on high density network (HDN) routes and high utilised network (HUN) routes. As of late 2025, approximately 1,200 locomotives are equipped with the Kavach system.

In urban transport, at present, about 990-km of metro rail projects are operational, while 900-km of metro lines are under construction.

As India accelerates its development journey, the continued evolution of its railway system stands as a critical enabler of inclusive growth, regional integration and nationwide connectivity. With forward-looking investments and policy support, Indian Railways is uniquely positioned to meet the transport demands of a fast-growing economy. Join us at the 3^rd Edition of India Rail 2027, scheduled to be held on 3^rd & 4^th of February 2027, at Le Méridien New Delhi - India, where opportunities for collaboration, innovation and investment await in shaping the future of Indian rail transport.

Looking forward to see you there!