India-Japan bullet train project on track, govt sources dismiss reports of Tokyo-Delhi rift

India's ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project has crossed another key milestone, with ANI quoted government sources saying discussions with Japan on the high-speed rail corridor are progressing smoothly and the next-generation E10 Shinkansen trains are expected to be introduced in the early 2030s.

While the E10 trains are still under development in Japan, construction of the corridor has gathered pace, with the first section targeted to become operational in 2027. Until then, both countries have agreed to begin services using the current generation of high-speed trains, in line with their shared objective of launching India's first bullet train at the earliest.

The clarification came after former Japanese Justice Minister Hideki Makihara criticised the execution of the project, alleging delays and claiming Indian officials had repeatedly failed to honour commitments during negotiations. New Delhi, however, dismissed his remarks as a personal opinion that did not reflect the actual status of the bilateral project.

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Addressing a media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India and Japan remain closely aligned on the implementation of the high-speed rail corridor.

"The comments are an individual opinion and are at considerable variance with the facts. India-Japan discussions on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai high-speed rail project are progressing well," Jaiswal said.

He noted that the E10 Shinkansen trains, which are currently under development in Japan, are expected to be supplied in the early 2030s. Since the trainset is not yet ready, both countries have agreed to begin operations using the existing generation of Japanese high-speed trains once the first stretch of the corridor becomes operational in 2027.

India rejects signalling claims

Responding to allegations that Japan had been sidelined in the signalling component of the project, the MEA said the procurement process has followed international specifications and no Japanese proposal was received for that segment.

"The signalling equipment has been ordered accordingly and in line with international specifications. No Japanese offer was received in this context. The project is being implemented in line with the shared objective of starting high-speed train operations at the earliest," Jaiswal said.

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor is India's first bullet train project and is being developed using Japan's Shinkansen technology. The project is being financed in part through long-term concessional loans from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

508-km corridor to cut travel time significantly

The 508-km corridor will connect Mumbai in Maharashtra with Ahmedabad in Gujarat through 12 stations, including Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand and Sabarmati.

Bullet trains on the route are designed to operate at speeds of up to 320 kmph, reducing the travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad to about 2 hours and 7 minutes for limited-stop services. These trains will halt only at Surat, Vadodara and Ahmedabad, offering a substantially faster alternative to conventional rail and road travel.

The project is expected to improve regional connectivity, strengthen economic integration between Maharashtra and Gujarat, and mark the beginning of high-speed rail operations in India.