Former Japanese minister blames India for bullet train delays, cites 'reckless' project handling

Former Japanese Justice Minister Hideki Makihara has sharply criticised India's handling of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, blaming New Delhi for repeated delays and calling its approach "sheer recklessness." In a post on social media, Makihara alleged that India had sidelined Japan in key aspects of the high-speed rail project, including the signalling system, which he described as critical for operational safety.

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor is India's first bullet train project and is being developed with financial and technical assistance from Japan.

While the project has faced delays over the years due to factors such as land acquisition and construction challenges, recent reports indicate that work has gathered pace and both countries continue to cooperate on its implementation.

Makihara's remarks have drawn attention because they come despite ongoing India-Japan collaboration on the project. Neither the Indian government nor the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) had officially responded to the comments at the time of publication.

The episode has reignited discussions over the execution timeline, technology choices and the future of India's flagship high-speed rail initiative.