India and Japan forge closer ties by starting work on high-speed rail project during Shinzo Abe’s visit
Talks between Modi and Abe are expected to focus on security at a time when both countries share security concerns about a rising China
Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday inaugurated India’s first bullet train project – a US$19 billion line in the home state of Indian leader Narendra Modi intended to revitalise the country’s vast but dilapidated network.
The initiative is seen as emblematic of fast warming relations between New Delhi and Tokyo, who are seeking to combat China’s growing influence. It is also a new beginning for a rail transport system plagued by accidents and chronic delays.
The line, using Japanese trains and technology, will link Ahmadabad to India’s financial capital Mumbai and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2023.
The 500km journey will be cut from eight hours now to just over two hours when services start.
“I hope to enjoy the beauty of India through the windows of the bullet train with Modi on my side when I come to India in a few years,” Abe told a ceremony in Ahmadabad. “It marks the beginning of a new chapter in ties between India and Japan.”
The Indo-Japan relationship is not just about bilateral trade. It has developed into a strategic and global partnership
Abe’s visit comes just after a border stand-off between India and China in a disputed and strategically important Himalayan area. The two prime ministers both hailed the strengthened ties between their countries.