Pune, Feb 16 (IANS): Kalyani group-owned industrial component maker Bharat Forge Ltd. (BFL) Monday said it has inaugurated a locomotive manufacturing facility in Baramati, Maharashtra, becoming the first indigenous company to make crankshafts for the Indian Railways.

"We are the first Indian supplier of locomotive crankshafts to the Indian Railways. All the components for the railway sector have been indigenously developed in-house first time...We are also developing new products with the objective to enhance system and fuel efficiency," BFL chairman, MD Baba N. Kalyani said in a statement.

The company is presently the only crankshaft manufacturer in India for the industrial sector. This component is part of a vehicle engine which converts the force created by the pistons to move wheels.

The company said the facility will exclusively focus on developing critical and sophisticated components and products for the railway sector globally.

Speaking at the inauguration, Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha said: "We are committed to encourage indigenous manufacturing of railway components and products which have hitherto been imported from outside."

"The company has been supplying to all major railway networks across the world, including in the US, Europe, Russia and recently to the Indian Railways," the statement said.