RITES Limited, India’s leading transport infrastructure consultancy and engineering firm, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Etihad Rail to strengthen business collaboration in the mobility sector across the UAE and international markets. The agreement was formalized at the Global Rail Transport Infrastructure Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi, running from September 30 to October 2, 2025.
The MoU was signed by Shadi Malak, CEO of Etihad Rail, and Rahul Mithal, Chairman and Managing Director of RITES Limited, in the presence of SheikhTheyab Bin Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan Chairman of Etihad Rail and Sunjay Sudhir, Ambassador of India to the UAE. Under this partnership, RITES will collaborate with National Infrastructure Construction Company (NICC) LLC, a its subsidiary of Etihad Rail , to explore business opportunities in the region and beyond.
The collaboration aims to combine RITES’ five decades of expertise in consultancy, transport infrastructure, and engineering solutions with NICC’s execution capabilities, creating synergies for developing infrastructure projects across the region. This partnership strengthens RITES’ international presence under its strategic initiative ‘RITES Videsh’ and reinforces the company’s commitment to shaping infrastructure that transforms lives.
Speaking at the event, Rahul Mithal highlighted the significance of the Indian Pavilion at the Global Rail Conference. The pavilion showcases over 170 years of Indian Railways experience, along with the expertise of its central public sector companies including DFCCIL, IRCON, and RITES. Mithal described the partnership with Etihad Rail as mutually beneficial, noting that the collaboration holds tremendous potential given RITES’ extensive experience spanning more than 50 years.
At Global Rail 2025, the Indian Pavilion was jointly mounted by RITES, IRCON International Limited, and Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL). As part of its RITES Videsh initiative, the company showcased its expertise in transport consultancy, rail system design, project management, and sustainable mobility solutions. During the opening panel discussion titled “Transport’s great dilemma: can we grow while going green?”, Mithal shared insights from Indian Railways’ sustainability initiatives, including its Net Zero mission.
The Global Rail 2025 exhibition and conference, hosted by Etihad Rail under the patronage of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, is themed “Driving the Future of Transport and Global Connectivity.” This regional platform has attracted over 20,000 attendees, including more than 15,000 senior decision-makers, 1,000 delegates, and 300 exhibitors from over 40 countries, focusing on advancing sustainable rail ecosystems through innovation in high-speed networks, artificial intelligence-driven logistics, and green infrastructure
