Indo-Russian joint venture Kinet to establish three depots for Vande Bharat sleeper trains

An Indo-Russian joint venture, Kinet, is setting up three depots, including the Marathwada Rail Coach Factory in Latur, to manufacture Vande Bharat Sleeper train sets. The factory is currently installing equipment and will feature a modern assembly line. Kinet, formed by Indian Rail Vikas Nigam and Russian Transmashholding, took operational control of the Latur plant in June. Production staff hiring and training are ongoing, with the aim to start manufacturing soon. Kinet plans to supply 1,920 sleeper coaches to Indian Railways, with the first prototypes expected within 24 months. The total project cost is $6.5 billion, covering both manufacturing and maintenance.