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Can Public-Private Partnerships Keep Indian Railways on Track?

Rakhi Thakur, Paul Seaborn

Product #:W44420
Supplier:Ivey
Discipline:General Management, Marketing
Setting:India, 2020
Details:Case (PDF) • 14 pages • 2025-07-28

Subjects:

Consumer behaviorEmerging marketsLeadership and managing peopleSales and marketingManagementMarketing

Industries:

Transportation and distribution

Geography:

IndiaAsia
Your Price:$9.71

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Piyush Goyal, the central railway minister responsible for Indian Railways (IR), was leading its efforts to establish public-private partnerships (PPPs) to modernize and expand India’s passenger rail services. IR was a government-owned transportation provider that operated one of the largest train networks in the world, but it was struggling to meet growing demand and customer expectations. Under Goyal’s leadership, IR had awarded the first PPP contract for a private premium passenger train service in 2019. In 2020 as he pursued more partnerships to operate on other routes, he faced a key question about whether private train operators would be allowed to set their own ticket prices or if the Indian government, through IR, would regulate pricing. Goyal’s decision would affect not only the perceived success of PPPs at IR but also his personal reputation and political future.

Learning Objectives

This case can be used in undergraduate or graduate courses where students are being educated on the concept of PPPs, including courses on public policy and business, international/economic development, global management, marketing management, and project finance. The case is suitable as a first introduction to PPPs near the beginning of a course. After working through this case and the assignment questions, students will be able to do the following:
  • Evaluate the pros and cons of PPPs and other governmental operating arrangements and their potential impacts.
  • Apply stakeholder theory and conduct a stakeholder analysis to help understand the complex challenges and opportunities in emerging markets.
  • Understand the Indian context in terms of business, politics, and shifting consumer behaviour and the implications for both public and private entities.
  • Appreciate the challenges of leading a large state-owned governmental organization and managing the needs and expectations of various stakeholder groups.
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Case Study: Can Public-Private Partnerships Keep Indian Railways on Track? (English version) | Ivey Publishing