SOURCES close to the Indian government say that India will not procure Japanese technology for its embryonic high-speed network. This includes Shinkansen trains and leaky feeder/radiating cable technology for signalling systems offered by Japan for the under-construction 508km Mumbai - Ahmedabad high-speed rail (MAHSR) project that is majority funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica). 

Railways minister, Ashwani Vaishnaw, has voiced India’s concerns about the costs and delivery timelines of E-10 Shinkansen trains, and a senior IR official said on July 21 that the government decided in 2024 to manufacture high speed rolling stock locally, as well as to adopt an international signalling system. “Japan has not been able to share the offers for E-10 trains, signalling systems and the operation control centre systems,” the official said. 

While Japan will gift two second-hand Shinkansen trains (E-4 and E-5 variants) to be used for trial runs between Surat and Bilimora 2027, it has indicated its inability to supply E-10 trains before 2034. 

India needs 49 eight-car high-speed trains for the Mumbai - Ahmedabad line. While Japan has offered to supply these trains for Rs 200bn ($US 2.08bn), India has been weighing the option of sourcing the rolling stock from Western suppliers at approximately half the price.

Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) is already building two eight-car 250km/h B28 prototypes in collaboration with Integral Coach Factory (ICF) under an Rs 8.7bn ($US 90m) contract awarded by the National High Speed Rail Corporation Ltd (NHSRCL) in October 2024.

The first of the BEML prototypes is expected to be delivered early next year for testing between Surat and Bilimora. A subsequent order for 16 additional trains is also reported to have been awarded to BEML for operation on the new line until 320km/h trains are available.

In early 2025, NHSRCL awarded a Rs 41.4bn contract to a joint venture of Siemens and DRA Agarwal for the manufacture, supply and installation of signalling and train control system using ETCS Level 2 as an interim system. 

The 2015 India-Japan Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) stipulates that three elements for the new high-speed line are to be sourced from Japan: Shinkansen rolling stock, signalling systems and the operation control centre. According to the agreement, 30% of the project value will be financed by Japan. The Indian government has since been looking at ways to amend or cancel the terms of the MoU, but it is still unclear whether it has been able to do so.

Originally estimated at around Rs 1080bn, the cost of the new line has reportedly surged by 83% to nearly Rs 1980bn, driven largely by land acquisition disputes in Gujarat and Maharashtra, inflation, and implementation challenges, while the project is running several years late. 

For more information on Asian high-speed rail projects and fleet orders, subscribe IRJ Pro.