Japan will gift India two high-speed Shinkansen trains, the E5 and E3 models, which will be used for testing on the under-construction Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor, as reported by The Japan Times.
The trains are expected to be delivered in early 2026. They will be equipped with additional monitoring systems and used to collect data under challenging conditions, including high temperatures and increased dust levels.
The E3 series has been in operation in Japan since 1997, with a maximum operational speed of 275 km/h. These trains are slated to be replaced by the advanced E10 series in the 2030s.
The E5 series, which entered service in Japan in 2011, can reach speeds of up to 320 km/h. India initially planned to purchase E5 trains for its first high-speed rail project, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor. However, negotiations with the potential supplier reached an impasse, leading India to begin developing its own high-speed trains.