India has responded to remarks made by former Japanese Justice Minister Hideki Makihara, who blamed New Delhi for delays in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail project. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described his comments as an individual opinion that does not reflect the facts surrounding the Indo-Japanese collaboration.
Makihara, a member of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, recently posted on social media that India's handling of the Shinkansen project had been marked by repeated failures to honour commitments. He alleged that Indian officials frequently changed their positions during negotiations and said the delays were entirely the responsibility of the Indian side. He also criticised the minister overseeing the project, describing the leadership as ineffective.
Responding during a press briefing on Friday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the remarks were "an individual opinion" and were "at considerable variance with facts." He added that discussions between India and Japan on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project were progressing well.
In a subsequent statement, the MEA said both countries remain committed to the project and are working towards its early completion. According to the ministry, Japan's next-generation E10 series Shinkansen trains, which are currently under development, are expected to be supplied in the early 2030s. Until then, both sides have agreed to begin operations using an Indian high-speed train.
The ministry also noted that construction work on the corridor has advanced significantly and reiterated that the first section of the project is expected to become operational in 2027.
Earlier, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the first phase of India's bullet train service is scheduled to begin operations on August 15, 2027. The initial operational stretch will connect Surat and Bilimora, with the remaining sections to be opened in phases as construction progresses.
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project, developed with Japanese financial and technical assistance, is India's first bullet train corridor and remains a key infrastructure partnership between the two countries.
Sources: Hindustan Times