The Ministry of External Affairs termed former Japanese minister Hideki Makihara’s criticism of India’s handling
July 17, 2026: India on Friday rejected remarks made by former Japanese Justice Minister Hideki Makihara, who blamed New Delhi for delays in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (HSR) project. Makihara, a member of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, alleged that India repeatedly failed to honour commitments during negotiations and claimed the project had stalled entirely due to the Indian side. He also criticised the Indian minister overseeing the project, calling him “awful” and accusing officials of prioritising their own interests.
Responding to the remarks, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the comments reflected an individual opinion and were “at considerable variance with facts.” He stressed that discussions between India and Japan on the bullet train project were progressing smoothly. In a detailed statement, the MEA said construction work had advanced significantly and both countries remained committed to launching the project at the earliest.
Meanwhile, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced that the first phase of India’s bullet train service will begin operations on August 15, 2027, starting with the Surat-Bilimora section. The MEA also confirmed that Japan’s next-generation E10 series Shinkansen trains, currently under development, are expected to be introduced in the early 2030s, while initial services will operate using an Indian high-speed train until then.