Business
India’s First Vande Bharat Sleeper To Run Between Patna And New Delhi: 1,000 Kms In 8 Hours, 160 Kmph Speed, Luxury Amenities – Reports
Delhi-Patna Vande Bharat Sleeper: Indian Railways passengers have been waiting eagerly for the new luxurious Vande Bharat Sleeper Express, which has been in the final stages of roll out and is being given final touches at the BEML factory. Passengers travelling between Patna and New Delhi are set to get a completely new travel experience as the much-awaited Vande Bharat Sleeper Train is expected to begin operations this month. The train promises the speed of Tejas, the comfort of Rajdhani, and the advanced technology of Vande Bharat — all in a sleeper configuration for the first time.
Designed for high-speed night travel, the train is being positioned as a premium option for long-distance passengers.
Trial Runs to Begin Soon
Two rakes of the Vande Bharat Sleeper Train are being manufactured at the BEML factory in Bengaluru. The first rake is expected to be ready and dispatched by December 12, after which trial runs will begin on the Patna–New Delhi route, reported Dainik Bhaskar. The train will cover around 1,000 kms in around eight hours.
Railways plan to start regular services before the New Year. The train is expected to run six days a week, departing Patna in the evening and arriving in Delhi the next morning. The return service will follow the same overnight schedule, reported Prabhat Khabar.
Speed and Performance Highlights
The train is designed to run at an operational speed of 160 km/h, with a maximum speed capability of 180 km/h. According to railway officials, the ride will be so stable that even tea kept in a cup will not spill while the train is running at full speed.
One of its key strengths is rapid acceleration and braking, allowing it to cover distances faster and reduce time spent stopping and restarting at stations.
Coach Composition and Seating Capacity
The Vande Bharat Sleeper Train will have 16 coaches with a total capacity of 827 passengers:
* 11 coaches of AC 3-tier (611 berths)
* 4 coaches of AC 2-tier (188 berths)
* 1 coach of AC 1st Class AC (24 berths)
Railways may increase the number of coaches in the future based on passenger demand. Ticket prices are expected to be around the fare of the Rajdhani Express.
Current Status of Vande Bharat Trains in India
At present, 164 chair-car Vande Bharat Express trains are operating across India. These semi-high-speed trains are manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai and have received strong passenger response.
Due to growing demand for comfortable long-distance night travel, the sleeper variant has been developed, with the Patna–Delhi route likely to be among the first to get this service.
What the Railway Minister Said
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently told the Lok Sabha that the sleeper version of the Vande Bharat train has been indigenously designed for medium and long-distance overnight journeys.
He said that two rakes have been produced and are currently undergoing trials and commissioning.
Key Features and Facilities in Vande Bharat Sleeper Train
The interior of the train is designed to provide a premium airline-like and hotel-style experience. Major facilities include:
Passenger Comfort Features
* USB-integrated reading lamps for night-time reading
* Real-time passenger information system with audio and video updates
* High-speed Wi-Fi and onboard infotainment system
* Modular pantry unit for freshly prepared onboard meals
* Touch-free bio-vacuum toilets
* Hot water shower facility in First AC coaches
* Ergonomic ladders for upper berths
* PRM-friendly berths and toilets for elderly and differently-abled passengers
Advanced Safety and Security Systems
* KAVACH anti-collision technology to prevent train accidents
* Integrated emergency talk-back units for direct communication with train crew
* Fully sealed gangways between coaches to prevent dust and enhance safety
* Automatic plug doors that close before departure
* CCTV surveillance in every coach to deter theft and ensure passenger safety
Timings of the Vande Bharat Sleeper Train
The train will run six days a week:
* Evening departure from Patna, Morning arrival in New Delhi
* Evening departure from New Delhi, Morning arrival in Patna
The Vande Bharat Sleeper has been specially designed to offer high speed, superior comfort, and a premium travel experience for overnight journeys.
Downing Street would not deny reports that Chancellor Rachel Reeves rowed with her US counterpart during a visit to Washington DC earlier this year.
Ms Reeves had an argument with Scott Bessent when she visited the US capital for the International Monetary Fund’s spring meetings, according to the Financial Times.
The Chancellor publicly criticised the US-led war against Iran before travelling across the Atlantic, prompting Mr Bessent to berate her on the sidelines of the gathering, the newspaper reported.
Ms Reeves reportedly hit back that she did not work for the US treasury secretary, and disliked how he had spoken to her, before reiterating her argument that America lacked clear goals going into the conflict and was not making the world safer.
On Tuesday, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman was asked if he would steer away from the reports, and appeared not to.
He did however insist Ms Reeves and her US counterpart have had “constructive” engagements since the Washington DC visit.
The spokesman said: “We would not get into private conversations. The Chancellor and the US treasury secretary have a good relationship.
“They have had constructive conversations together since the Chancellor’s visits to Washington.
“I think there is a readout from the US Department of Treasury, which made clear the productive nature of their relationship.”
The Chancellor emerged as one of the most outspoken UK Government critics of the US decision to go to war in Iran before travelling to the IMF meetings in April.
At the time, she described the war as a “folly” and said: “This is a war that we did not start. It was a war that we did not want.
“I feel very frustrated and angry that the US went into this war without a clear exit plan, without a clear idea of what they were trying to achieve.”
Business
Govt lists 40 sub-sectors for faster FDI clearance from border nations-check details – The Times of India
The government has identified 40 sub-sectors, including rare earth magnets and printed circuit boards, for expedited clearance of foreign direct investment (FDI) proposals from countries sharing land borders with India, PTI reported.Under the revised framework, proposals from countries such as China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Afghanistan in these sectors will be processed within 60 days, as per the updated standard operating procedure (SOP).The move follows a decision taken in March to fast-track FDI approvals in specified manufacturing sectors from these countries.However, the government has clarified that majority ownership and control of the investee entity must remain with resident Indian citizens or Indian-owned entities at all times.The 40 identified sub-sectors fall under six broad categories –capital goods manufacturing, electronic capital goods and electronic components, polysilicon and ingot-wafer production, advanced battery components, rare earth permanent magnets, and rare earth processing.These include manufacturing of insulation items, castings and forgings for thermal, hydro and nuclear power plants, machine tools, display components such as LCD and LED panels, camera modules, electronic capacitors, speakers and microphones, lithium-ion batteries, wearables, and rare earth metal and magnet processing facilities.The SOP also introduces detailed reporting norms for investments involving entities with direct or indirect ownership from land-bordering countries.“The reporting under these guidelines will be governed under the Foreign Exchange Management (Mode of Payment and Reporting of Non-debt Instruments) Regulations, 2019, and the information will be accessible by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI),” the DPIIT said.The responsibility for reporting lies with the Indian investee company, which must submit required details to the DPIIT before receiving foreign capital.“The reporting is to be made prior to the inward remittance of foreign capital. In cases which do not involve foreign capital inward remittances, the reporting is to be made prior to execution of the relevant transactions, including issuance/transfer of capital instruments, as the case may be,” it added.Investors will be required to disclose details such as shareholding patterns, beneficial ownership, organisational structure, promoters, board composition, key managerial personnel and control rights.The Indian entity will also need to provide incorporation details and disclose existing or proposed shareholding linked to entities from land-bordering countries.
Ferrari technicians inspect supercars on the production line inside the company’s factory in Maranello, Italy, October 2, 2025. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo
Remo Casilli | Reuters
DETROIT — Ferrari on Tuesday beat Wall Street’s first-quarter earnings expectations and reconfirmed its guidance for the year, weeks ahead of the sports car maker revealing its first all-electric vehicle.
Here’s how the company performed in the first quarter compared with average estimates compiled by LSEG:
- Earnings per share: 2.33 euros (US $2.72) adjusted vs. 2.27 euros expected
- Revenue: 1.85 billion euros vs. 1.81 billion euros expected
Ferrari’s revenue was up more than 3% compared with 1.79 billion euros during the first quarter of 2025, while its operating profit and adjusted earnings increased 1.1% and 4.2% year-over-year, respectively.
The company’s 2026 guidance includes 7.5 billion euros in net revenues and an adjusted operating profit of at least 2.22 billion euros, or 9.45 euros adjusted EPS. Its industrial free cash flow is targeted at 1.5 billion euros or more for the year.
Those results were despite deliveries being down 4.4% year-over-year to 3,436 units, as the sports car maker said it slowed production to “ease the execution of the planned model change-over.”
The company said deliveries “were not impacted by the surge of hostilities in the Middle East, as Ferrari leveraged its geographical allocation flexibility, bringing forward certain deliveries to other regions.”
Ferrari’s results come weeks before the scheduled debut of the Luce, its first fully electric vehicle, on May 25.
“With only twenty days to the world premiere of the Ferrari Luce, the sense of anticipation has never been so high. The Ferrari Luce brings together so much extraordinary technologies and the passion of so many people. It is the evidence of how tradition and innovation can come together to create something unique,” Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna said in a statement Tuesday.
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