The government opted to develop its own bullet train and implement an international signalling system after concluding in 2024 that Japan would not be able to deliver the E10 Shinkansen before 2034, a senior Railway Ministry official told The Indian Express.
The official added that Japan has not yet submitted proposals for the E10 trains, signalling system, or the Operation Control Centre (OCC) because the train is still in the design stage.
The information comes after a former Japanese minister claimed on social media that India had displayed “sheer recklessness” in its bullet train project, leading to delays. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) dismissed the remarks as a “personal opinion…at variance with facts” and said discussions between the two countries were progressing well.
Railway Ministry cites E10 delay, revised technology roadmap
“The Japanese side has still not been able to share the offers for E10 trains, signalling system, and Operation Control Centre (OCC) systems because the train is still under design,” a senior Railway Ministry official said, according to Indian Express
The official further said feasibility studies and experiences from countries such as Taiwan and South Korea had suggested that the first section of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor could become commercially operational by August 2027.
“Since Japanese E10 would arrive in 2034, both sides decided that the project should be operated with Indian designed bullet trains and the open standard-based signalling system. We learnt that the real reason for Japanese suppliers not being able to share offers was the phasing out of the E5 series in Japan,” the official said, according to Indian Express.
India opts for ETCS signalling system
Makihara also questioned India’s decision on the signalling system, writing on X: “I feel 100% that the reason this has not moved forward is entirely on the Indian side. No result from Prime Minister Takaichi’s visit either — ‘India Shinkansen’ failure: Japan excluded from the signal system, the key to safety.”
Responding to the issue, the Railway Ministry official said India and Japan had agreed to use the European Train Control System (ETCS), an open-standard signalling technology already deployed, with local variations, in several countries.
“Both sides also agreed that the Indian train should run on the open standards-based international signalling system, ETCS. This same system is being used, with variations, in Korea, Taiwan, China, and Europe. RRTS rapid rail is also designed with this system,” the senior official told Indian Express.
For the 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project, Japan was originally expected to supply the Shinkansen trainsets, signalling system and Operation Control Centre, while India was responsible for civil construction. According to the report, the revised approach allows the project to move forward despite delays in the availability of Japan’s next-generation E10 bullet train.