Termination of a Chinese firm's contract for a signalling project in Uttar Pradesh may turn out to be the trigger which provides impetus to Indian rail manufacturers looking to execute big-ticket projects.
As the government looks to build on the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiative, homegrown companies are looking to make the most of the opportunity and bag projects which will catapult them to the big league.
One such company is Kalindee Rail Nirman. The latter offers services in the areas of signalling, telecommunications and track and information systems. It has plans to further diversify into electric traction system, traffic management systems, traffic surveys and project evaluation.
The firm has written to the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation (DFCCIL) saying it is willing to take over the project.
An official of Kalindee Rail Nirman, who is not authorised to speak to the media, told Moneycontrol the decision was not taken at ‘emotional value’.
"Discussions are going on at the highest level on the next course of action. It was a practical decision. This is a very prestigious project and there have been delays. The reputation of the country is at stake and we thought this is the right time to step up.This is also a very important step in the Make in India vision. So, it is a very thoughtful decision and was not swayed by emotions," the official said.
Moneycontrol also reached out to Anurag Sachan, Managing Director, DFCCIL, for queries related to the project and the latest development but is awaiting a response.
The news of the Chinese firm Beijing National Railway Research and Design Institute of Signal and Communication Group Co getting ousted comes at a time when anti-Chinese sentiments were at its peak due to the flashpoint in Galwan Valley.
The company has moved the Delhi High Court to prevent DFCCIl from encashing its bank guarantee.
In June 2016, it had bagged the contract for signalling works of over 400 km railway lines in the Kanpur-Deen Dayal Upadhyay section for Rs 470 crore.
The rise in anti-China sentiment has led to calls for boycott of Chinese goods. Calls to halt trade with China were witnessed around the country, with people burning Chinese appliances.
In a poll conducted by Network18 digital platforms last month, 70 percent respondents said they are willing to boycott Chinese goods while a whopping 97 percent wanted Indian celebrities to stop endorsing Chinese products.
Last month, the government banned 59 Chinese apps, including the hugely popular TikTok. The move has given a fillip to homegrown apps like Mitron and Chingari.
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