Tender for manufacturing of 44 Vande Bharat cancelled after China emerges as sole bidder

New Delhi: The Indian Indian Railways on Friday cancelled the tender for the manufacturing of 44 rakes of Train 18, after a Chinese company emerged as the sole foreign bidder.

According to the Indian Railways, while domestic bidders were in place, a tender was floated on July 10 looking for a foreign bidder for manufacturing rakes of Train 18 also known as the ‘Vande Bharat Express.’

While issuing an order the Indian Railways said, “Tender for manufacturing of 44 sets of semi high-speed train set (Vande Bharat) has been cancelled. A fresh tender will be floated within a week as per revised public procurement (Preference to Make in India) order.”

Tender for manufacturing of 44 nos of semi high speed train sets (Vande Bharat) has been cancelled.

Fresh tender will be floated within a week as per Revised Public Procurement (Preference to Make in India) order.

— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) August 21, 2020

A Chinese joint venture firm named CRRC Pioneer Electric (India) Private Limited had emerged as the only foreign player to provide electrical and other supplies for 44 train sets of 16 coaches each in July, according to PTI. The joint venture was formed in 2015 between CRRC Yongji Electric Company Limited and Gurugram-based Pioneer Fil-med Private Limited.

The Railways’ Integral Coach Factory in Chennai had floated the tender to make the trains on July 10. The other five bidders for the project were Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, the Bharat Industries, Sangrur, Powernetics Equipment India Private Limited, the MEDHA Servo Drives Private Limited and the Electrowaves Electronics Limited, PTI reported, citing the Railways.

The first Vande Bharat train from Delhi to Varanasi was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February last year. Home Minister Amit Shah launched the second train between Delhi and Vaishno Devi Katra in October.