India to Launch Bullet Train in 2027 with Indigenous Train; Japan's Next-Gen Shinkansen to Follow in 2030

Japan will provide its next-generation E10 series Shinkansen trains to India for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project, official spokespersons from the Ministries of External Affairs and Railways confirmed on Friday. The clarification came in response to a critical social media post by a former Japanese minister that had blamed New Delhi for delays and raised concerns about Japan being excluded from the signalling system.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs dismissed the statement as an 'individual opinion' that stands at 'considerable variance with facts'. Japan has been a key partner in the mega project, providing financing, technology, and engineering expertise.

India and Japan have agreed to start operations with an indigenous high-speed train developed by BEML Limited and the Integral Coach Factory. This train will run at an operational speed of 280 kmph and is slated to launch on the Surat-Bilimora section in Gujarat by August 2027. The Japanese E10 trains, still under development, are expected to arrive only in the early 2030s and will operate at 320 kmph.

Civil construction along the 508-km corridor has accelerated. The Railway Ministry awarded a contract to German multinational Siemens for installing signalling systems along the corridor. The system uses the European Train Control System (ETCS), a modern radio-based digital signalling architecture. Officials noted that the E10 Shinkansen trains can also run on ETCS technology, ensuring interoperability. The Taiwan High-Speed Rail was cited as an example of Japanese trains running on European signalling systems.

'This interim phase will allow Indian Railways to develop operational familiarity and establish system confidence before transitioning to the Japanese E10 sets,' a senior Railway Ministry source said. The project execution remains aligned with the goal of starting the high-speed train service as early as possible.