Come 2030, ride latest bullet trains in India

Japan, partner in India's first high-speed train project, has agreed to simultaneously launch its latest bullet train, Shinkansen Alfa-X, aka Shinkansen E10, in India in 2029-30, three people familiar with the matter said.

- Rajeev Jayaswal

Japan, partner in India's first high-speed train project, has agreed to simultaneously launch its latest bullet train, Shinkansen Alfa-X, aka Shinkansen E10, in India in 2029-30, three people familiar with the matter said. Tokyo has also agreed to New Delhi's plan of running two indigenous high-speed trains on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai track, which is expected to be ready in 2026-27, the people said.

It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi's keen interest in the project and his excellent rapport with the Japanese leadership that saw a very positive outcome from two recent high-level official visits to Japan led by railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in September and December 2024, the people added, requesting anonymity.

India was previously expected to get the Shinkansen E5. Its maximum speed is 320km per hour, while the E10, which is still undergoing trials in Japan, can run at a top speed of 400km per hour.