In a significant breakthrough for India's first high-speed rail corridor, Japan will send two sets of its famous Shinkansen trains at no cost. According to the Japan Times, the move is intended to help test and examine the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail route, which is now under development. The two train sets, one from the E5 and one from the E3 series, will arrive in India in early 2026 after being outfitted with inspection equipment. They will be used to collect vital data, particularly about India's environmental challenges, such as high temperatures and dust.
India's high-speed rail route between Mumbai and Ahmedabad represents a turning point in the country's infrastructure development.

According to the site, officials would be able to collect data on driving conditions using Shinkansen trains, including the effects of high temperatures and dust. The testing phase would also help with future production of E10 trains in India, which are expected to be implemented in the early 2030s.

According to the Japan Times, India intends to utilise domestically produced semi-high-speed trains on the new rail link until next-generation trains arrive.

Japan to finance India’s bullet train project

Notably, the Japanese government is providing the majority of the financing for the bullet train project in the form of low-interest yen loans. This will cover around 80% of the project's total cost.

However, with costs rising, the two countries plan to create a new yen loan strategy that will allow the introduction of E10 trains when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Japan for a bilateral summit.

According to the source, the project is supported by the East Asian nation's famed Shinkansen technology and hence holds tremendous importance for the Japanese government. 

About the two trains

The E5 series is notable for its elegant style and cutting-edge technologies. The E3 series, on the other hand, combines efficiency with passenger comfort. These trains have become symbols of Japanese engineering, and their introduction in India is expected to offer critical information on track and operational performance.

 The National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) is in charge of building the Ahmedabad-Mumbai High-Speed Rail Corridor. Since November 2021, work on the huge project has been steadily progressing. Bridges have been built across six rivers as part of the corridor, including the Par and Auranga in Valsad and the Purna, Mindhola, Ambika, and Venganiya in Navsari. There are 24 river crossings on the MAHSR route, with 20 in Gujarat and the rest in Maharashtra.

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated last year, "The bullet train project has to be seen from the perspective of integrating economies. In the first corridor that Indian railways are doing, Mumbai, Thane, Vapi, Baroda, Surat, Anand, and Ahmedabad - all these economies will become one single economy. So you can have breakfast in Surat, go and complete your work in Mumbai, and come back with your family at night."