TN to be hub for Vande Bharat Exp, high-power wheel manufacturing: Railway Minister

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu is poised to become the national hub for manufacturing Vande Bharat trains and high-power wheels for locomotives and high-speed rail (HSR) services, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said here on Tuesday.

"A state-of-the-art wheel manufacturing unit will soon be set up near Chennai, which will play a crucial role in powering India's future rail infrastructure. Tamil Nadu is also fast emerging as a major production centre for Vande Bharat trains, with one of the largest operating fleets in the country today," said Vaishnaw, also the Electronics and IT Minister, at the launch of Tamil AI, an artificial intelligence platform rooted in Tamil language and culture, at the IIT-Madras Research Park.

The success of Vande Bharat has transformed passenger experiences nationwide and underscored Tamil Nadu's growing contribution to the sector, he said, adding: "The entire country is enjoying the benefits of Vande Bharat today, and Tamil Nadu's role in this journey is significant.

The Centre's larger vision, guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is to make Tamil Nadu a manufacturing and technological powerhouse. "We're witnessing an electronics revolution here. Manufacturing units for mobile phones, laptops, and servers are being established. Tamil Nadu will soon stand as a key node in India's global manufacturing chain," he said.

Vaishnaw praised the launch of Tamil AI as a bold step toward linguistic and technological inclusivity. "This initiative blends ancient heritage with modern innovation. It reflects the Prime Minister's mission to democratise technology, ensuring that no language or culture is left behind," he said.

Vaishnaw encouraged collaboration between Tamil AI developers and the Indian Railways to explore future integration of the technology into railway services, particularly for Tamil-speaking users.

Founded by BJP State secretary A Ashvathaman, Tamil AI is a generative AI platform designed to make the Tamil language and literature accessible to a wider audience, including those unfamiliar with the script. "Imagine a future where AI replaces books and computers; when that happens, AI must speak Tamil, too," said Ashvathaman.

"This platform helps children and non-native speakers learn Tamil and understand its deep literary and cultural heritage. It can even translate ancient Tamil words into contemporary usage," he added.

Malaysian Deputy Minister Saraswathy Kandasami, BJP leader Kesava Vinayagam, and others attended the event.