Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurates 16th IREE and IRC 2025 in New Delhi
Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology, inaugurated the 16th International Rail Equipment Exhibition (IREE) 2025 and the International Rail Conference (IRC) 2025 organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in collaboration with the Ministry of Railways at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. IREE is Asia’s largest and the world’s second-largest exhibition in the railways and transportation sector, bringing together industry leaders, innovators, and stakeholders from across the globe.
On this occasion, the Minister stated that in the last 11 years, our Prime Minister Narendra Modi has placed a strong focus on the modernisation of Railways, and the results are clearly visible. He highlighted that around 35,000 km of new tracks have been built and 46,000 km of railway lines have been electrified during this period. He further mentioned that we now have 156 Vande Bharat Express, 30 Amrit Bharat, and 4 Namo Bharat services, which are immensely popular across the country. Our production levels have also increased significantly, with 7,000 coaches being manufactured every year.
Speaking about the exhibition, the Minister said that it serves as a major platform to showcase India’s progress in railway technology, manufacturing, and innovation, while simultaneously opening new avenues for partnerships, investments, and growth. The occasion also saw the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, thereby further strengthening industry–academia collaboration.
The exhibition and conference will run for three days, featuring industry discussions, international participation, business meetings and technology showcases, further strengthening India’s role in shaping the future of rail transportation.
IREE 2025 is bringing together over 20,000 industry professionals and more than 450 exhibitors from 14+ countries, including Austria, France, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, South Korea, United Kingdom, United States and others. Indian Railways is presenting its largest-ever pavilion, highlighting modernization, digital initiatives and future requirements.
IRC 2025 is hosting around 500 delegates to discuss the theme “Future Ready Railway: Innovation, Integration and Global Partnerships,” focusing on technological advancement, collaboration and global connectivity. The conference is supported by buyer–seller and industry–government interactions to encourage new partnerships and business opportunities.
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