Japanese Ex-Minister Takes Sharp Aim at India Over Long-Delayed Bullet Train Project
A senior Japanese politician has openly voiced his irritation with India’s handling of the ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail project, shedding light on the frustrations simmering behind this flagship Indo-Japanese initiative.
Hideki Makihara, a former Justice Minister and member of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, didn’t hold back. He described the Indian side’s approach as “sheer recklessness,” accused partners of repeatedly breaking promises, and called the minister in charge “awful.” His blunt remarks quickly went viral, reflecting deeper Japanese disappointment with the project’s slow pace.
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor, built around Japan’s renowned Shinkansen technology, was launched with much fanfare in 2017 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then-Japanese PM Shinzo Abe. Backed heavily by Japanese soft loans covering most of the cost, it was supposed to be up and running by 2023. Instead, years of delays—mainly from land acquisition battles in Maharashtra, regulatory hurdles, and rising expenses—have pushed the price tag significantly higher and pushed timelines back.
Indian Railways officials are now more optimistic, targeting phased operations starting in 2027, with the first sections in Gujarat opening to passengers. Recent high-level visits, including by Japan’s current Prime Minister, have reaffirmed Tokyo’s support, including plans to introduce advanced next-generation trains on the route.
Yet Makihara’s comments highlight a real tension. Beyond land issues, there appears to be friction over technical choices, such as signaling systems, as India seeks more flexibility and greater local manufacturing involvement rather than full dependence on Japanese suppliers.
For New Delhi, delivering on this project is about more than just tracks and trains—it’s a test of execution capability on a massive scale. For Japan, it’s a showcase of its world-class technology in a key partner nation. Both sides have much riding on turning things around quickly.
While progress on viaducts, stations, and tunnels is picking up, this public criticism is a timely reminder that strong diplomatic ties still need solid on-ground delivery to truly succeed.
Japanese Ex-Minister Takes Sharp Aim at India Over Long-Delayed Bullet Train Project
A senior Japanese politician has openly voiced his irritation with India’s handling of the ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail project, shedding light on the frustrations simmering behind this flagship Indo-Japanese initiative.
Hideki Makihara, a former Justice Minister and member of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, didn’t hold back. He described the Indian side’s approach as “sheer recklessness,” accused partners of repeatedly breaking promises, and called the minister in charge “awful.” His blunt remarks quickly went viral, reflecting deeper Japanese disappointment with the project’s slow pace.
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor, built around Japan’s renowned Shinkansen technology, was launched with much fanfare in 2017 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then-Japanese PM Shinzo Abe. Backed heavily by Japanese soft loans covering most of the cost, it was supposed to be up and running by 2023. Instead, years of delays—mainly from land acquisition battles in Maharashtra, regulatory hurdles, and rising expenses—have pushed the price tag significantly higher and pushed timelines back.
Indian Railways officials are now more optimistic, targeting phased operations starting in 2027, with the first sections in Gujarat opening to passengers. Recent high-level visits, including by Japan’s current Prime Minister, have reaffirmed Tokyo’s support, including plans to introduce advanced next-generation trains on the route.
Yet Makihara’s comments highlight a real tension. Beyond land issues, there appears to be friction over technical choices, such as signaling systems, as India seeks more flexibility and greater local manufacturing involvement rather than full dependence on Japanese suppliers.
For New Delhi, delivering on this project is about more than just tracks and trains—it’s a test of execution capability on a massive scale. For Japan, it’s a showcase of its world-class technology in a key partner nation. Both sides have much riding on turning things around quickly.
While progress on viaducts, stations, and tunnels is picking up, this public criticism is a timely reminder that strong diplomatic ties still need solid on-ground delivery to truly succeed.
