'It's An Individual Opinion': MEA Dismisses Former Japanese Engineer's Claims, Says Bullet Train Project Is On Track | VIDEO

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has dismissed concerns raised by a former Japanese railway engineer over the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project, saying his remarks represent a personal opinion and do not reflect the ongoing cooperation between India and Japan.

Responding during the weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said discussions between the two countries on the ambitious Bullet Train project are progressing smoothly and that construction has gathered significant pace.

'Individual Opinion, At Variance With Facts'

The MEA was responding to comments made by Hideki Makihara, a former Japanese railway engineer associated with the project, who recently questioned India's handling of the high-speed rail corridor.

Calling the criticism misplaced, Jaiswal said the remarks were "an individual opinion" and were "at considerable variance with the facts."

He added that India-Japan discussions on the project continue to move forward positively, with both countries sharing the common objective of starting high-speed rail services at the earliest.

First Section Still Targeted For 2027

The MEA said construction work has progressed rapidly and reiterated that the first operational section of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train corridor is expected to open in 2027.

According to the government, Japan's next-generation E10 Shinkansen train is still under development and is expected to be supplied only in the early 2030s.

In the meantime, both sides have agreed to begin operations using an Indian high-speed train to avoid delaying the project. The signalling equipment has already been ordered and complies with international specifications, the MEA said, adding that no Japanese proposal had been received regarding an alternative signalling arrangement.

What The Former Japanese Engineer Claimed

Makihara, who now lives in Delhi and works as a metro vehicle consultant, shared a blog after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's visit to India, alleging that repeated changes in India's negotiating position had slowed the project.

In a post on X, he claimed India's approach during international discussions was "reckless" and argued that the delays in implementing the high-speed rail corridor were "entirely on the Indian side."

He also expressed concern that moving away from Japan's Shinkansen signalling system could affect the project and future railway cooperation between the two countries.

India-Japan Partnership Continues

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project, which uses Japanese Shinkansen technology and is largely financed through concessional loans from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), remains one of the flagship infrastructure initiatives under the India-Japan strategic partnership.

Despite the criticism, the MEA maintained that the project's execution remains aligned with the shared goal of launching India's first Bullet Train service at the earliest.