Two prominent Japanese companies, Hitachi and Kawasaki, have formed a consortium and initiated discussions to adapt their bullet train designs for Indian conditions.
Indian Railways officials have confirmed that these firms are keen to supply the ‘Shinkansen’ train sets for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project, with necessary modifications to meet India’s specific environmental and operational requirements. According to sources, Hitachi and Kawasaki have expressed a strong willingness to participate in this high-profile project. However, the Indian authorities have requested design adjustments to account for local cost constraints and suitability for Indian conditions, including extreme weather and dust levels.
An official explained that the consortium has already submitted proposals featuring new designs tailored to India’s needs. These discussions are part of the ongoing project activities. Each Shinkansen train set will consist of ten coaches, accommodating up to 690 passengers. The modifications are essential to ensure the trains can withstand India’s harsh hot weather, which can reach temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius, significantly higher than the 40 degrees Celsius threshold for which the original Japanese air conditioning systems are designed.
Additional modifications include the implementation of bio-toilets instead of the sophisticated systems used in Japanese trains. Furthermore, user instructions and documentation will primarily be in English and Hindi to cater to the Indian populace.
Cost considerations are also a significant factor, with Indian officials aiming to reduce expenses through these design modifications. As per the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) loan conditions, only Japanese manufacturers like Kawasaki and Hitachi can bid for this project. Consequently, the consortium is expected to present its bids soon, aligning with these requirements and the modified designs. The National High-Speed Rail Corporation Ltd (NHSRCL) plans to procure 18 bullet trains based on Japan’s E5 Shinkansen technology for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor. These trains will operate at a maximum speed of 320 km per hour. According to the latest progress report from December, approximately 40% of the project is complete, with financial progress at 45%.
The first phase of the project, covering a 50-kilometre stretch in Gujarat, is scheduled for commissioning in July 2026. This initiative marks a significant step towards modernising India’s rail infrastructure, bringing in high-speed rail technology that will revolutionise travel in the region. This collaboration between Indian Railways and the Japanese consortium highlights the importance of international cooperation and technological adaptation in achieving infrastructural advancements suitable for local conditions and demands.
Recently, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared an update on the bullet train project on X (Formerly Twitter) by posting a video showing the excavation and tunnelling work, as well as the use of geotechnical instruments to overcome these challenges.
“Instrumentation technologies for enhanced safety and better monitoring in the bullet train project,” Vaishnaw captioned the video.
