Bhel offers to supply diesel locomotives to Pakistan

India’s state-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (Bhel) has offered to supply 100 diesel locomotives to Pakistan as part of a plan to modernize the country’s rail infrastructure. If the public sector unit clinches the deal, it will be the first such order for an Indian manufacturer. The proposed deal, valued at around Rs. 1,000 crore, comes against the backdrop of newfound bonhomie between the two countries. India-Pakistan ties have picked up since last year and there has been a marked improvement in economic cooperation. “China had earlier supplied around 1,000 locomotives to Pakistan, of which 800 have developed defects. Their railway network is down,” said a senior Bhel executive, requesting anonymity. “We made an independent offer of 100 locomotives to a Pakistani delegation which had come visiting recently. We are now working with their ministry of railways for the order to fructify. Once this happens, we may get more orders given the huge demand,” he said. more at: http://www.livemint.com/2012/06/29002351/Bhel-offers-to-supply-diesel-l.html