India rejects ex-Japanese minister's 'Recklessness' claim on bullet train project, says talks with Japan are on track

The Indian government has firmly rejected remarks by former Japanese Justice Minister Hideki Makihara, who blamed India for delays in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described his comments as a personal opinion that was "at considerable variance with facts" and reaffirmed that discussions with Japan on the high-speed rail project are progressing smoothly.

Makihara had alleged that Indian officials repeatedly failed to honour commitments during negotiations and had excluded Japan from key aspects of the project, including the signalling system. Responding to the criticism, the MEA said cooperation between the two countries remains strong and that both sides continue to work closely on the flagship infrastructure initiative.

The government also reiterated that the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor is advancing as planned. India intends to begin operations with indigenous high-speed trainsets before introducing Japan's next-generation E10 Shinkansen trains once they become available in the early 2030s. Officials maintained that the project continues to reflect the long-standing strategic partnership between India and Japan despite the recent public remarks.