India rejects e Japan minister's 'delay' charge on Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train: ‘Considerable variance with facts’
India has rubbished comments by a former Japanese minister blaming New Delhi for delays in the high-speed Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, calling it “an individual
India has rubbished comments by a former Japanese minister blaming New Delhi for delays in the high-speed Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, calling it “an individual opinion” at “considerable variance with facts”. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also said that discussions on the high-end project are progressing well. "We have seen the post. It is an individual opinion and at considerable variance with facts. India-Japan discussions on Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed train are progressing well," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in response to a question on Friday, 17 July. Quick answers to key questions • 5 QUESTIONS 1 What is the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project? ⌵ The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project is a high-speed rail initiative in India, spanning 508 kilometers. It aims to connect Mumbai with Ahmedabad, utilizing Japanese Shinkansen technology and funded predominantly by Japan. 2 Why did India reject the former Japanese minister's comments about delays in the bullet train project? ⌵ India dismissed the remarks as an individual opinion that significantly diverges from the facts, emphasizing that discussions and project progress with Japan are advancing positively. 3 How is the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project funded? ⌵ The project is financed primarily by Japan, which agreed to provide 81% of the funding, while the overall estimated cost is approximately 976.3 billion rupees ($10.1 billion).
4 What is the expected timeline for the first section of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train to open? ⌵ The first section of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train is anticipated to be inaugurated in 2027, as stated by Indian officials regarding the project's progress. 5 Should passengers expect a specific operational speed for the bullet train? ⌵ Yes, while the bullet train achieved a maximum speed of 120 km/h during trials, its operational speed during regular service is planned to be 75 km/h. What did Japanese leader say? Jaiswal’s response came over comments by Hideki Makihara, Japan’s former Justice Minister and a member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, who had blamed India for delays in the Indo-Japanese Shinkansen project. "The Shinkansen project in India is something I was involved with myself, but what stood out in international meetings and negotiations was the sheer recklessness of the Indian side, repeated over and over. They just don't keep promises, no matter what. Even if they make a promise, they flip it right away," Makihara wrote on X. Makihara also blamed the minister-in-charge for being ‘awful’. “They keep pushing their own self-interest right up to the very end. The minister in charge was especially awful—if the top guy's like that, there's no way to have any decent dealings.
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