The Minister of Railways is the head of the Ministry of Railways and a senior member of the union council of ministers of India. The position of the Minister of Railways is usually held by a minister of cabinet rank and has occasionally been held by a minister of state with independent charge. The cabinet ministers are often assisted by one or two junior ministers, or the Ministers of State for Railways.

Ashwini Vaishnaw is an Indian politician and former IAS officer who is currently serving as the 39th Minister of Railways, 55th Communications Minister and 2nd Electronics & Information Technology Minister in Government of India since 2021 and a member of the Rajya Sabha representing Odisha since 2019. He is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Earlier in 1994, Vaishnaw joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in the Odisha cadre, and has worked in Odisha.