Highlights from UITP India Urban Rail Conference 2025
UITP India successfully organised its flagship biennial event on Rail, the UITP India Urban Rail Conference, on 8-9 October 2025 in New Delhi. The international conference, featuring ‘Success Stories of Global Cities’ was hosted by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (DMRC).
The conference brought together over 200 delegates from countries such as France, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Austria, and Germany, serving as a distinguished forum for international collaboration and knowledge sharing in the urban rail sector.
Among the eminent participants was Mr Gautier Brodeo, UITP Deputy President and Director at RATP Group, whose presence reaffirmed the strategic relevance of UITP and its role in shaping global urban mobility discourse.
Gautier Brodeo
UITP Deputy President, Director of RATP Group
On-Site Learning Experience: Technical Visit
Day 1 of the conference kicked off with a Technical Visit that underscored DMRC’s leadership in the evolution of urban rail network in India.
The visit began at the DMRC Academy and continued with a ride on the Unattended Train Operation (UTO) metro to the Kalindi Kunj Depot. Delegates were offered an in-depth understanding of DMRC’s operational systems and daily practices, reaffirming its position as a global benchmark in metro rail excellence.
Key Insights from the Conference
Day 2 of the conference began with the Inaugural Session comprising the opening, introductory, and welcome addresses highlighting the strategic importance of cybersecurity and digital resilience in modern urban rail systems.
With cybersecurity as a central theme, the session was honoured by the presence of Dr. Gulshan Rai, Former and First National Cybersecurity Coordinator to the Prime Minister’s Office of India. He delivered the keynote address that offered authoritative insights into evolving national cybersecurity frameworks and their critical implications for the mobility sector.
The Plenary Session, titled ‘Roadmap for Urban Rail Systems in India and Abroad’ convened senior leaders from prominent international and Indian urban rail networks to deliberate on the sector’s digital transformation and its associated challenges.
The session underscored that as urban rail systems become increasingly digitalised, cybersecurity risks are intensifying, particularly for legacy infrastructures undergoing modernisation.
Panellists emphasised the importance of adopting AI-enabled threat detection, enhanced system resilience, and strengthened public–private collaboration as key enablers for ensuring secure, efficient, and future-ready metro operations.
The technical sessions further expanded on themes of cybersecurity, digital integration, and operational resilience within metro rail systems.
Building resilience to cyber threats in metro rail
Technical Session I explored the evolving landscape of cyber threats in metro rail systems, emphasising the importance of risk preparedness, response mechanisms, and resilient management frameworks.
A notable segment was the case series on the Iberian Peninsula blackout, with insights from Madrid, Barcelona and Lisbon. Case studies from global and Indian metro networks illustrated real-world experiences in mitigating cyber incidents and ensuring operational continuity.
The discussions underscored the critical need for collaboration and proactive strategies to safeguard passenger safety and system integrity in an increasingly digital environment.
Achieving digital integration and efficiency
Technical Session II focused on the convergence of Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) in modern metro systems, highlighting how digital integration enhances efficiency, predictive maintenance, and passenger experience.
The case studies demonstrated practical applications of IT–OT collaboration in improving service delivery and operational reliability. The discussions also addressed the vulnerabilities of connected systems and emphasised the importance of building cyber-resilient urban mobility networks.
Insights into Security by Design
Technical Session III delved into securing operational technology in metro rail systems through a comprehensive lifecycle approach, emphasising “Security by Design” principles across all stages from planning to operation.
The deliberations covered critical aspects such as supply chain security, predictive maintenance, signalling upgrades, and resilience in communication-based train control systems, and highlighted the need for robust OT cybersecurity frameworks to ensure safe, reliable, and future-ready metro operations.
The conference inspired active participation from the audience after each session, cementing the event as a platform for knowledge sharing amongst global peers. The sessions concluded with key takeaways and a wrap-up. In addition, the conference had Metro Rail and Steel, Rail Analysis Insights, and The Rail World as media partners.
