The Indian government has firmly rejected recent allegations from a former Japanese minister regarding the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project, asserting that the flagship venture remains on track. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal dismissed the comments as an individual opinion that is at considerable variance with facts, emphasizing that bilateral discussions between New Delhi and Tokyo are progressing well.
The controversy began after Hideki Makihara, a former Japanese Justice Minister, claimed in a social media post that delays in the project were entirely the fault of the Indian side. He alleged that Indian authorities repeatedly failed to honor commitments and pursued self-interest during negotiations. Makihara also suggested that Japan had been excluded from supplying the project's signalling system, which he described as a critical safety component.
In response, the Ministry of External Affairs clarified that the project is moving forward in line with established goals. Officials explained that Japan will provide its E10 series trains in the early 2030s, as the technology is still under development. To maintain the project's timeline, both nations have agreed to begin initial operations using Indian high-speed trains. The government also noted that the signalling equipment has been procured in accordance with international specifications and that no specific Japanese offer for that component was received.
Construction on the corridor has seen rapid progress, with the first section scheduled to open in 2027. While the project has faced past challenges, including land acquisition hurdles and pandemic-related disruptions, the government maintains that cooperation with Japan remains strong. Recent high-level summits between the two nations have reaffirmed the importance of the rail link as a symbol of their bilateral partnership.