IRCE 2026
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) initiative in the Rail Transportation Sector in India, with a special focus on Rail Coach and Train Sets. Rail Coach Expo (IRCE 2026) International Exhibition & Conference, organised by CII, in association with Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Ministry of Railways, Government of India, is scheduled from 12 to 14 March, 2026 at ICF Grounds, Chennai, India.
CII works closely with the Ministry of Railways, Government of India, and has been organising regular networking events jointly with the Ministry, connecting the global Rail Transportation Industry with Indian Railways and Indian Industry, for the last three decades.
The International Rail Coach Expo (IRCE 2026) is a premier global platform dedicated to the rail coach manufacturing and interior furnishing, safety bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, technology providers, R&D institutions, and supply chain partners under one roof.
Following the success of previous editions, IRCE 2026 aims to spotlight the latest advancements in rail coach production, passenger comfort, interior solutions, technical services and sustainable design to support the modernization goals of national and international railway systems.
The Integral Coach Factory is one of the earliest railway production units of independent India. Spread over 511 acres, till October 2025, ICF has achieved the distinction of having turned out 79,000+ coaches since its inception, highest by any passenger coach manufacturer in the world in more than 180 varieties which includes conventional and self-propelled coaches in LHB and other designs including India’s first semi-high speed train the Vande Bharat Express.
In the last decade, ICF fully shifted to stainless steel coaches and ever since, has been striving for improving standards of rail travel year after year. Innovation has been taking place in all facets of coach production – from Electrics, bogies to interiors and lavatories. It has given birth to new breed of trains/train sets called Vande Bharat – Chair car and sleeper versions, Amrit Bharat Coaches with improved interior for more passengers comfort, Namo Bharat Rapid Rail for short distance intercity travel and even a freight train set with modern facility for targeting transportation FMCG and perishable goods. ICF has now envisioned to manufacture Metro coaches in standard gauge and plans are afoot for sprucing up the production lines to gear up for this project.
Obviously, all this has opened up plethora of opportunities to various industries to upgrade their products, on their part, they have always risen to the challenges and come up with solutions and products matching expectations. IRCE 2026 will present sneak peek into the latest developments taking place in the field of coach manufacturing and give fillip business opportunities for all the players connected with it.
Passenger volume on Indian Railways grew 6 % in FY25 to over 7 billion passengers, with revenue rising nearly 50 % to Rs. 75,215 crore (US$ 8.7 billion), boosted by Vande Bharat trains and higher chair car earnings.
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows in railway-related components stood at Rs. 9,163 crore (US$ 1.43 billion) for April 2000-March 2025. Rail infrastructure will see an investment of Rs. 50 lakh crore (US$ 715.41 billion) by 2030.
Under the Union Budget 2025-26, the government allocated Rs. 3.02 lakh crore (US$ 34.7 billion) compared to Rs. 2.52 lakh crore (US$ 30.3 billion) in 2024-25 to the Ministry of Railways. PPP is being utilized in areas such as redevelopment of stations, building private freight terminals and private container train operations.
Indian Railways, as of 2025, has expanded 35,000 km of track, produces 30,000 wagons and 1,500 locomotives annually, increased freight share to 29 %, cut accidents by 80 %, and plans 1,000 new trains and bullet train operations by 2027.
India's only focused exhibition for rail coach manufacturing and interiors, addressing a niche yet critical segment of rail transportation.
Participation from Indian Railways' Production Units, RDSO, global OEMs, metro operators, urban transit authorities and private rolling stock manufacturers.
Brings together OEMs, suppliers, designers, and policymakers under one roof for meaningful engagement.
Highlights cutting-edge technologies, latest advancements in coach design, materials, automation, passenger comfort, and sustainability.
Domestic manufacturing and global partnerships in line with the government's ‘Make in India' initiative.
Facilitates B2B meetings, technical discussions, and collaboration with national and international stakeholders.
Highlights training and R&D efforts critical to building future-ready rail coaches.
Adoption of eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient technologies.
Attracts participants and delegations from leading rail manufacturing countries, enabling technology transfer and partnerships.
Concurrent seminars and workshops on trends, policies, and innovations.
