According to Global Times on September 1, Japan and India have officially reached an agreement on the selection of train models for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project, deciding to introduce the next-generation E10 series Shinkansen trains developed by East Japan Railway Company (JR East).

This cooperation is a core part of India's first high-speed rail line, and the two sides have been in disputes for several years over this.

India initially insisted on the "Make in India" concept, hoping to use domestically produced high-speed rail trains, even proposing that local manufacturers imitate the E5 series for localized production.

However, India does not have a mature system for manufacturing and testing high-speed rail cars, especially in terms of seismic resistance, safety systems, car body structure, and train control technology, which are difficult to meet the standards of Japan's Shinkansen.

Japan was concerned that using unverified vehicles could affect operational safety and potentially damage the entire project's image, so it insisted that only Japanese-made trains be used.

Eventually, India agreed to use the E5 series for testing, while the full commercial operation would use the E10 series trains, completely excluding the domestic option.

As an exchange, India required Japan to continue participating in future line development, but emphasized that it must be determined through bidding. This train dispute has finally come to a conclusion, with India ultimately compromising due to its lack of high-speed rail technological capabilities.

Shigeru Ishiba and Modi riding the Shinkansen

This high-speed rail line itself is indeed very important for India, as it represents the step from zero to one.

The total length of the project is 508.17 kilometers, starting from Mumbai, the financial center of India, and ending at Ahmedabad, an industrial hub in Gujarat. The entire line will adopt the technical standards of Japan's Shinkansen, with a designed operating speed of 320 km/h. Once completed, it will reduce the current commuting time of 8 hours to about 2 hours.

The line includes 12 stations, including Mumbai, Wadi, Surat, Vadodara, and other economic nodes, covering a population of more than 100 million.

The total investment in the project exceeds 1.1 trillion Indian rupees (approximately 13 billion US dollars), with 80% supported by low-interest loans provided by Japan.

As early as September 2017, this project was formally launched with the participation of Modi and Shinzo Abe. At that time, it was announced that it would be completed by 2023.

However, the progress has been far less than expected. According to the latest schedule from the National High-Speed Rail Corporation of India, the Gujarat section is planned to achieve the first segment of completion by the end of 2027, and the entire line is expected to be completed and fully operational as early as 2029.

In other words, this landmark high-speed rail project will take at least 12 years from start to finish.

Indian trains

Why does a 508-kilometer high-speed rail project need more than ten years to complete?

The fundamental reason is the serious shortcomings in the Indian government's institutional framework, execution, and coordination.

For example, land acquisition issues. In Maharashtra, there has been a long-standing tug-of-war between the local and central governments over land compensation standards and route adjustments. Due to political changes, land acquisition work once came to a complete halt, and it wasn't until 2023 that it was largely completed.

Another issue is the complex and lengthy environmental approval process. The route passes through mangrove forests and wetland protected areas, requiring joint approval from multiple departments, leading to delays in the commencement of multiple construction segments.

Additionally, in construction organization, Indian domestic contractors lack experience and do not have the capability to construct large-scale high-speed rail bridges, tunnels, and elevated structures, resulting in most key projects being undertaken by Japanese companies or consortia, which leads to high coordination costs.

Moreover, the project involves a complete set of systems including line standards, vehicle matching, signaling systems, power supply systems, and maintenance training. However, different ministries in India often act independently, leading to low efficiency in pushing forward the project.

A more typical example is the train model negotiation. India initially wanted to develop its own Shinkansen, but after repeated attempts, it found it impractical and had to rely on Japan for a complete solution.

A single high-speed rail line has gone through almost every possible complication more than once. It's really hard to imagine.

China's high-speed rail

The recent agreement on the train contract between India and Japan is the result of Modi's visit to Japan before his visit to China, which is also quite touching.

As neighbors, when India is still fighting over a 508-kilometer high-speed rail line, China's high-speed rail construction is another scene altogether.

In 2017, China's high-speed rail operating mileage was approximately 23,000 kilometers, and by 2025, it is expected to exceed 48,000 kilometers, adding more than 25,000 kilometers in eight years, which is nearly 50 times the length of India's entire high-speed rail line.

Moreover, these lines are not concentrated in the eastern plains, but cover various complex terrains such as western plateaus, cold mountainous areas, and coastal bridge-tunnel clusters, truly achieving nationwide high-speed rail network connectivity.

In terms of train manufacturing, China has comprehensively deployed the Fuxing series of high-speed train sets, which are independently designed and produced, with different speed grades, climate adaptability, and multi-system compatibility. Not only do they meet domestic needs, but they are also exported to various countries around the world.

Meanwhile, India has yet to have even a single self-developed train that meets the high-speed rail standards. In 2017, when China built over 20,000 kilometers of high-speed rail, India had not even completed 1 kilometer.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7545019824255058451/

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