India’s development of own linear motor trains shows SkyTrain technology is the future
- Media Release
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- For immediate release — May 15, 2026
INDIA TO JOIN CANADA, JAPAN, AND CHINA IN BUILDING LINEAR INDUCTION MOTOR METROS
The world’s most ambitious transit‑building nations continue to embrace linear induction motor (LIM) propulsion for high‑performance rapid transit systems. Now, another major player is joining that list: India is developing its own linear motor train system.
According to reporting from the Times of India, the initiative is being led by the country’s leading engineering institution, IIT—Madras, in partnership with the Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation, the operator of India’s oldest metro network.
We are pleased to offer an exclusive look: while public reporting has framed this only as “research”, our organization (SkyTrain for Surrey) has obtained a tender document from the Government of India that reveals the true scope of the program: a full LIM pilot project—complete with test train cars, a test track, and a mandate to develop and validate LIM propulsion for future Indian metro systems.
The tender requires bidders to retrofit a linear motor propulsion package onto an existing three‑car metro train for testing in Kolkata. Although the specific train model is not named, it will almost certainly come from a domestic manufacturer such as ICF, BEML, or Titagarh. Notably, the tender only permits Indian companies to bid, meaning established LIM train builders like Alstom Canada cannot be involved.
Misleading claims on SkyTrain technology distorted regional decisions
Groups such as Rail for the Valley, South Fraser Community Rail, and commentators like Patrick Condon have spent decades flooding public debate with false claims that SkyTrain (which uses linear induction motors) was a “Bombardier monopoly,” “proprietary,” or “obsolete”. These talking points were never grounded in evidence—but they were effective at delaying critical projects. Their misinformation helped:
- Delay the Broadway Subway by 20 years, despite it being identified as a regional priority in the early 2000s.
- Nearly derail Surrey’s rapid transit planning, pushing a surface LRT that would have delivered lower capacity and slower speeds.
- Distort public trust, forcing planners to repeatedly defend proven technology against recycled myths.
India’s entry into LIM development is a reminder that the world is moving forward—even when our local debate has been stuck in the past. It’s time to retire those narratives for good and build the world-class transit system our region truly deserves.
Pictured in header: Concept render of an elevated linear induction motor (LIM) metro in India
SkyTrain for Surrey is a BC-based community organization that has advocated for the expansion of the Vancouver SkyTrain system, including our successful advocacy for the under-construction Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension.
Media Contact: Daryl Dela Cruz – Founder, SkyTrain for Surrey ・ Phone: +1 604 329 3529, [email protected]
