Railway Budget 2026: From Vande Bharat to Kavach – what a decade of railway capex push has delivered

Ahead of Budget 2026, a decade of sustained capital expenditure by Indian Railways is offering a clear snapshot of what long-term investment in the sector has delivered — from modern Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat trains to near-total network electrification and the rollout of Kavach safety systems.

With budgetary allocations expected to remain range-bound in 2026–27, recent data highlights how consistent capex over the last ten years has translated into visible upgrades across safety, new trains and core railway infrastructure.