India is going to get the E5 and E3 Shinkansen trains until early 2026.

India’s high-speed rail program is expected to accelerate with Japan’s generous proposal for Shinkansen technology. Japan will provide India with free high-speed Shinkansen trains, which will be used for testing and inspection of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project. The E5 and E3 series trains from East Japan Railway have cutting-edge aerodynamic design and advanced safety features.

Japan uses high-speed Shinkansen trains sent to India for bullet train testing

These trains will collect data on driving conditions and contribute to the production of E10 trains in India. Initially, India planned to use the E5 train, capable of reaching a speed of 320 kmph, but project delays and cost escalations led to a re-evaluation.

According to a report from the Japan Times, a train in the E5 and E3 series will be delivered to India in early 2026 after being equipped with inspection equipment. Inspection trains will collect data on driving conditions, including the effects of high temperatures and dust, supporting the potential production of the Indian E10 train.

Japan and India collaborate on Mumbai-Ahmedabad railway project

India and Japan will work together on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail project and plan to launch the next-generation E10 series Shinkansen train in the early 2030s. However, delivery of these trains is unlikely to catch up with the partial opening of the line in time, with the aim of August 2027.

In order to break the negotiation deadlock, Japan proposed to launch the E10 train and provide E5 and E3 trains for free, which India accepted. The Japanese government’s low-interest-day loan will cover 80% of the total cost of the project, initially estimated at Rs 1.1 million (about US$15 billion), although the fees are expected to increase.

Plans are planned to introduce a new yen loan framework for the E10 train during a bilateral summit visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.