Japan poised to win India's bullet train deal: Nikkei

E-Paper | March 17, 2026

TOKYO: Japan is expected to win the right to construct India's first bullet train, after losing an Indonesian high-speed rail deal to China, the Nikkei business daily reported on Tuesday.

Japan will offer more than $8.11 billion in loans to construct India's 980bn rupee fast train, according to the report.

Japan recently lost the bid to build Indonesia's first fast-train because Beijing provided a $5bn loan without guarantees.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, due to visit India this week, and his counterpart Narendra Modi are expected to issue a joint statement on the deal, the Nikkei said.

Tokyo was picked to assess the feasibility of building the 505 km corridor linking Mumbai with Ahmedabad, the commercial capital of Modi's home state, and concluded it would be technically and financially viable.

Construction of the high-speed railway link will start from 2017 and will be completed in 2023, the Nikkei reported.

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Fast

Dec 08, 2015 01:30pm

Over $8bn loans for a train interesting!!!Poor indian Nation don't need a bullet train.

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ROHIT PANDEY

Dec 08, 2015 01:30pm

Progress in infrastructure construction.

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Indian Shia

Dec 08, 2015 01:43pm

Mumbai to Ahmedabad bullet train is a wrong idea. Either they have connected Delhi-Mumbai, Mumbai- Bangalore or Chennai-Bangalore this cities needs bullet trains.

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ROHIT PANDEY

Dec 08, 2015 01:47pm

@Fast Yes. The world over, car financing should be banned. No loans, less cars and less pollution. The logical corollary of your idea.

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Dhanku

Dec 08, 2015 01:58pm

@Indian Shia The concept behind this is "Make in India" & technology transfer. Mumbai - Ahmadabad is just a pilot project. Once it is done, we'll have enough expertise to build the rest ourselves.

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Dhanku

Dec 08, 2015 01:59pm

@Fast Firstly India has the 3rd highest PPP which means there are people who'll be willing to pay for this train journey. Secondly large infrastructure projects like these will help reduce poverty as well. So over-generalized opinions, like yours, hold NO water.

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Ameer

Dec 08, 2015 02:02pm

What about Gwader to Kashgar bullet train

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Citizen

Dec 08, 2015 02:42pm

@Fast : Unfortunately India is not listening to your wisdom. Kindly advice to our prosperous nation to complete half century old KCR!

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Harsh

Dec 08, 2015 03:02pm

@Fast : $8bn comes to a mere Rs.48,000 crore. Most of the government projects in Maharashtra are at least 3 times that. The only reason for Loan is a sort of guarantee. It is not because we need the money.

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Shaukat Ali Khan

Dec 08, 2015 03:38pm

What do our Pakistani politicians have to say now about steel and concrete?

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AHA

Dec 08, 2015 03:39pm

That shows quality and safety conscious India is. Good decision.

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AGK

Dec 08, 2015 04:32pm

@Ameer: As a first step focus on running regular trains in Pakistan. Build new railway lines and new rakes for increased comfort and safety. Then focus on bullet trains

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ROHIT PANDEY

Dec 08, 2015 06:54pm

India ranks 4th in the extent of its railway network at around 65,000 kilometers. US holds the 1st position, at 225,000 kilometers. China, which in 1947, was far behind India, is ahead of India now. I hope India makes massive investments in regular railway networks to increase the reach of the Indian Railways and to increase the number of people who can be accommodated safely and securely, up from 23 million/ day now. Railways, roads, air links, ports and airports constitute the muscle and sinew of a nation, that fuels economic growth.

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jack

Dec 08, 2015 07:35pm

india's first smart city GIFT currently under construction in Ahmedabad gandhinagar will be almost completed by the time this bullet train is built so Mumbai ahmedabad bullet train makes sense.Modi is a smart guy.

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PrasadDeccani

Dec 08, 2015 09:17pm

Not really sure why we need this expensive civilian toy when at least a couple of hundreds of millions of Indians don't know when and how they get their next meal. Totally wrong priorities.

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DEOBAND

Dec 09, 2015 02:35am

@Indian Shia Just like in Pakistan, Nawaz's home town of Lahore gets the Metro, Modi's home town of Ahmedabad gets the bullet train. In many respects, Indians and Pakistanis are similar.

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