Japan’s Shinkansen Train Gift To Help India Test High-Speed Trains On Mumbai-Ahmedabad Route: Report
Japan's Shinkansen train E5 and E3 series will be delivered to India in early 2026, equipped with inspection and data collection.
In a significant development, Japan will provide two Shinkansen train series (E5 and E3 ) as a high-speed railway for free to India in response to support testing and inspection activities along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor.
According to a report by The Japan Times, both series will be delivered to India in early 2026, equipped with inspection and data collection. It will also pave the way concerning challenges faced after the effects of high temperatures and dust.
The governments of Japan and India are planning to introduce JR East's next-generation E10 series Shinkansen trains for the approximately 500-kilometer high-speed rail corridor between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, with deployment targeted for the early 2030s. However, the E10 trains are unlikely to be ready in time for the line’s partial launch, which is scheduled for August 2027.
In the meantime, Japan will also provide E5 and E3 Shinkansen models, reflecting Tokyo’s strong interest in ensuring Japanese train technology is featured when the rail line becomes operational. Given that the project is built around Japan’s renowned Shinkansen system, it holds considerable importance for the Japanese government.
Semi-High-Speed Modified Trains On New Route
To bridge the gap until the E10 trains arrive, India plans to operate modified, locally manufactured semi-high-speed trains on the new route.
Initially, India intended to use E5 trains for passenger services, but concerns over high costs and delivery delays have pushed the country to consider relying on domestically produced trainsets instead.
Last year, Japan proposed to introduce E10 trains and free-of-charge provision of E5 and E3 trains in order to break the deadlock in the negotiations, where India has shown its interest in accepting it.
As a result, Japan plans to finance around 80 per cent of the high-speed rail project’s total cost—originally estimated at approximately ¥1.8 trillion—through low-interest yen loans.
However, with projected expenses now rising, both the Japanese and Indian governments are working on a new yen loan arrangement to support the inclusion of the E10 series trains. This new framework is expected to be announced during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Japan for a bilateral summit.
In a similar move during the development of the Taiwan High Speed Rail—the first international high-speed line to adopt Japan’s Shinkansen technology—Japan had provided a 0 series train, its first-generation Shinkansen, free of charge. This train was used for testing to ensure that Taiwan’s trains wouldn’t collide with obstacles on the tracks.
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