A former Japanese minister has accused an Indian minister and government officials of causing delays in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project. On July 15, former Japanese Justice Minister Hideki Makihara criticised Indian authorities for what he described as "sheer recklessness", alleging they repeatedly failed to honour commitments and acted in their own self-interest during negotiations over the Shinkansen project. His remarks followed an opinion article in a Japanese publication claiming that the project had strayed from the original Shinkansen model.
In a post on X, Makihara asserted that the slow progress of India's flagship high-speed rail project was "entirely on the Indian side."
India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) dismissed these allegations on Friday, stating that the project is progressing smoothly.
The first phase of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR), India's first bullet train corridor, is expected to begin phased passenger operations on August 15, 2027.
The corridor is being developed using Japanese Shinkansen technology and is partially financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Makihara's comments were made in response to an opinion piece by Isao Tsujimura, a senior Japanese railway engineer and Delhi-based metro consultant, published on July 15 by a Tokyo-based business news outlet. Tsujimura argued that India's bullet train project had significantly deviated from the original Japanese Shinkansen concept.
He also claimed that Indian officials privately acknowledged that the original target of launching operations in 2023 was unrealistic.
Makihara's post was originally written in Japanese, and this report is based on its English translation.
Congress MP Pawan Khera criticised the Modi government following Makihara's allegations.
Posting on X, Khera said, "A former Japanese minister who was personally involved in the India-Japan Shinkansen project has claimed that despite Prime Minister Takaichi's visit, the project failed and Japan was excluded from the signalling system, a critical component for railway safety."
Responding to questions about the post, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "We have seen the post you are referring to. It represents an individual's opinion and is significantly at variance with the facts."
Jaiswal added that discussions between India and Japan on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project are progressing well. He also clarified that Japan will provide the E20 train series in the early 2030s, as the trains are still under development.
Meanwhile, India's bullet train project has recently achieved several important construction milestones.
EX-JAPANESE MINISTER CLAIMS INDIAN OFFICIALS FAILED TO HONOUR COMMITMENTS
Reacting to Tsujimura's article in Toyo Keizai Online, Makihara, who briefly served as Japan's Justice Minister in 2024, said his own experience with the project aligned with Tsujimura's assessment.
He stated that during international meetings and negotiations, the Indian side consistently displayed what he described as reckless behaviour.
Makihara alleged that Indian officials repeatedly failed to keep their promises.
"They just don't keep promises. Even when commitments are made, they change their position almost immediately," he said.
He further accused Indian authorities of negotiating solely to maximise their own interests.
"They continued pursuing their own interests until the very end. The minister in charge was particularly difficult. If leadership behaves that way, meaningful negotiations become impossible," he remarked.
He added, "Out of respect for the Japanese people who worked wholeheartedly on this project, I must say that I firmly believe the lack of progress is entirely due to the Indian side."
Makihara also referred to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's July 2026 visit to New Delhi, claiming that it failed to bring any meaningful progress to the project.
However, India Today Digital examined Makihara's claimed involvement in the project but found no concrete evidence supporting it.
WHY HAS THE INDIAN SHINKANSEN PROJECT COME UNDER DISCUSSION IN JAPAN?
Makihara's comments were prompted by an opinion article written by Tsujimura on July 15. Although Tsujimura clarified that he has no official role in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad project, he said he has closely followed its development.
Writing after Prime Minister Takaichi's July 1-3 visit to India, Tsujimura noted that discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi covered several strategic issues, including the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor.
He argued that the project has drifted away from the original Shinkansen vision that Japan had intended to introduce in India.
According to Tsujimura, the project generated tremendous excitement during its foundation ceremony in Ahmedabad in September 2017, which he attended as an observer.
He recalled that Ahmedabad was filled with enthusiasm, with Japanese and Indian flags displayed throughout the city.
Tsujimura also claimed that officials privately knew the original 2023 operational deadline was unrealistic. He added that both countries had initially intended to implement the project according to Japanese high-speed rail standards.
INDIA REJECTS EX-JAPANESE MINISTER'S CLAIMS
The Indian government maintained that discussions with Japan are progressing well and denied that the project has been delayed.
Jaiswal said construction has advanced rapidly and confirmed that the first section will become operational in 2027.
On July 15, Indian authorities announced that the initial operational stretch is expected to be between Surat and Bilimora in Gujarat.
Makihara also alleged that India had excluded Japan from the signalling system, an essential railway safety component.
Rejecting this claim, Jaiswal stated that the signalling equipment had been procured according to international specifications and that no proposal from Japan had been received regarding the signalling system.
He added that project execution remains aligned with the shared objective of launching high-speed rail services as early as possible.
According to ANI, citing Indian government sources, India-Japan discussions on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project are progressing positively.
The report added that Japan will supply the E10 series trains in the early 2030s, as they are still under development.
Both countries have agreed to begin operations using India's high-speed train while continuing cooperation to launch the project at the earliest opportunity.
INDIA'S FLAGSHIP BULLET TRAIN PROJECT
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor is India's first bullet train project and represents a key element of India-Japan strategic infrastructure cooperation.
The 508-kilometre corridor will connect Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex with Ahmedabad through 12 stations across Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Designed for speeds of up to 320 kmph, it is expected to reduce travel time between the two cities from approximately eight hours to about two hours.
The project is largely based on Japanese Shinkansen technology, incorporating Japanese ballastless tracks, signalling systems, safety protocols, and train technology. It is being financed substantially through long-term concessional loans from JICA.
BULLET TRAIN PROJECT HAS GAINED MOMENTUM
Despite criticism from the Japanese side, the project has recently achieved significant construction progress.
Indian authorities have announced that the first operational section, likely between Surat and Bilimora, is expected to begin phased passenger services from August 15, 2027, with the remaining sections opening in stages thereafter.
Construction has accelerated across viaducts, tunnels, and stations after facing delays due to land acquisition issues and political changes.
India is also planning domestic production of future trainsets through the Integral Coach Factory and BEML Limited, while continuing to receive technological support from Japan for the initial fleet.
The project's recent progress has also strengthened India's broader ambitions to develop a national high-speed rail network linking cities such as Delhi, Varanasi, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad.
Although Makihara's remarks may indicate underlying tensions regarding the evolution of the India-Japan infrastructure partnership over the past nine years, construction on the corridor is currently progressing at its fastest pace since the project's launch, and Indian officials continue to reject claims of any disagreement with Japan.
