This refers to the editorial, “The need is for speed” (September 15). When Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shinzo Abe jointly broke the ground at Sabarmati for the 508 km Ahmedabad-Mumbai high speed rail project, they not merely consecrated a high velocity rail corridor, but opened a window of immense new opportunities for India to dream and build bold and big as an inflexion point for the country’s vital infrastructure to grasp new technologies. Partisans are out in strength, debating the merits and demerits of the project: Can India, with its regular railway accidents and underinvestment in railways, afford itIJ The country dithered for years in regard to the Delhi metro, delaying its introduction for years. Some selected railway stations were well on way to be transformed into “world class” terminals; strangely, Indian.
Bullet trains are an excellent idea for a country growing in prosperity. Partnerships that benefit both sides are a staple of international relationships. But Prime Minister Modi and his predecessor, Manmohan Singh, imbued greater dynamism in ties with Japan by extending it to other countries. The two countries plan to venture in tandem in Africa, while the project to connect India with East Asian countries is in full swing. Abe’s latest visit to India has once again made it clear that India and Japan are intent on taking their relationship to a new level as the two are completely in sync on bilateral, regional and global issues.