From Tokyo To Mumbai—Will Japan’s Shinkansen Speed Up India’s Rail Revolution?

India’s big plan for a high-speed train is moving ahead quickly. Japan has decided to gift two of its famous Shinkasen trains to India for testing and inspection.

These trains will be used for trial runs on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train route, which is still being built. One train will be from the E5 series and the other from the E3 series. Both will arrive in India in early 2026, after being equipped with special tools for inspections, according to a report by The Japan Times.

India’s First Bullet Train is on the Way

The Mumabi-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Corridor will be India’s first bullet train line. It will run at a top speed of 320 km/h. This project is being built by the National High Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRC), which is part of indian Railway.

Japan’s Gift Will Help with Testing

After the main construction work is finished, India will use two Shinkansen trains gifted by Japan to run trial tests. These trains will help collect important information about how the bullet train works in Indian weather, especially high temperatures and dusty conditions.

The test results will also help India prepare to make its own E10 trains in the future. The E10 is the newest version of Japan’s high-speed Shinkansen trains.

India–Japan Partnership for Fast Rail

Back in 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japan’s former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe signed an agreement to build Shinkansen trains in India. This deal is part of the “Make in India” program and also allows Japanese bullet train technology to be shared with India.

E10 Series Bullet Trains Coming in the 2030s

For the 500-kilometer high-speed rail line between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, India and Japan plan to introduce the advanced E10 series Shinkansen trains. These trains are expected to start running in the early 2030s.

According to The Japan Times, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project will begin operating in parts, not all at once. This phased opening will help manage the large project more smoothly.

India’s Current Fast Trains

India already runs semi-high-speed trains like the RRTS and Vande Bharat, which can go up to 180 km/h. But because of older tracks and train technology, they can’t reach full high-speed levels like bullet trains.

Original Plan Faced Delays and High Costs

At first, India had planned to use the E5 series Shinkansen trains for passengers. However, due to delays and high expenses, the plan faced difficulties.

Japan Offers a New Solution

To help solve the problem, Japan suggested using the newer E10 series in the future. For now, they offered the E5 and E3 series trains for free, to be used for trials. India has agreed to this proposal, as reported by The Japan Times.

The Japanese government is giving low-interest yen loans to help pay for the Mumbai-Ahemdabad bullet train project. These loans are expected to cover 80% of the total cost, which was first estimated at around ₹1.8 trillion.

Since the costs are now expected to go up, India and Japan are working on a new loan agreement to help bring in the E10 series trains. This new plan is likely to be finalized during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Japan for a meeting between the two countries, according to the report.