New Delhi : Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has confirmed that the Mumbai to Ahmedabad bullet train will be inaugurated next year.

At World Summit 2026, Vaishnaw also explained the reason for the delay of the high-speed rail project.

When Will Bullet Train Be Launched?

While Vaishnaw did not mention a specific date, he expressed confidence that the project would be ready for inauguration next year.

He also talked about the criticism the project faced from former Japanese Justice Minister Hideki Makihara.

Earlier this year, Hideki Makihara slammed the Indian government over delays in the high-speed rail project and accused them of repeatedly breaking commitments.

His claims were rejected by the Indian government.

Regarding the remarks, Ashwini Vaishnaw stressed India's strategic relationship with Japan.

He explained that the bullet train project is being dealt with by the Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport. Vaishnaw said that Nakano Hiromasa, who was the minister in charge of the department, was very impressed when he visited the project a year and a half ago.

Vaishnaw recalled that the former minister was “spellbound by the progress when he saw the quality of the work” and the speed at which it was being executed.

The Union Minister also revealed that Japanese engineers involved in the high-speed rail project have said they will take some of the technologies used in the project to their next bullet train project.

He also mentioned that the chairman of the International High Speed Rail Association, who had visited India earlier for a summit, said that even Japan could not have completed the project in such a short time.

What Delayed The Project?

The Union Minister stated that while the foundation stone was laid in 2017, the design work on the project was very complex and took one-and-a-half to two years.

He added that the pandemic led to delays. Later on, Vaishnaw said that former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had decided against having the bullet train stretch in Maharashtra.

The minister said that the Japanese had refused to start the construction if the permits for the entire project were not given.

Vaishnaw admitted, “We can't put the blame on a party. India as a whole, in that sense, was responsible.”

He said that the construction work was started in 2021, and the project is now set for inauguration next year.