India to Manufacture its Own High-Speed Bullet Trains with a design speed of 350 kmph by 2030

India is planning to develop and manufacture its own high-speed bullet trains with a design speed of 350 kmph by 2030. The proposed B35 trains are expected to be comparable to Japan's next-generation E10 bullet trains, which are also scheduled to enter production in 2030.

India to Manufacture Bullet Trains like Japan's E10 Bullet Trains

This plan comes as India prepares to introduce its first domestically manufactured high-speed trains on the 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor. The first B28 trainsets will have a design speed of 280 kmph, but their maximum operating speed will be 249 kmph. Two B28 prototypes are expected to be ready for trials in the first quarter of 2027.

State-owned BEML has already received contracts to manufacture 32 B28 trainsets. It has also secured another contract worth Rs 5,400 crore for 15 additional B28 trains. The trains will be manufactured at BEML's dedicated Aditya High-Speed Rail Complex in Bengaluru.

Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad project is expected to be completed by December 2030. Its revised cost has crossed Rs 2 lakh crore, compared with the original estimate of around Rs 1.1 lakh crore. The increase has been linked to higher land acquisition, infrastructure, train and signalling costs. Land acquisition expenses alone have risen to around Rs 19,700 crore.

Along with high-speed trains, India is also developing the indigenous Bharat Train Control System (BTCS) for managing train speeds, spacing and safety.

B28 Bullet Train Features

The B28 trains will have fully air-conditioned chair-car coaches, reclining and rotatable seats, onboard infotainment and facilities for passengers with disabilities. Their design will also take into account India's heat and dusty conditions.

Japan has informed India that production of its existing E5 trains will be phased out, with E10 production expected to begin in 2030 and operations around 2034. Indian officials will examine the possibility of using E10 trains once they become available.
India is also planning seven additional high-speed rail corridors, including Mumbai-Pune, Pune-Hyderabad, Hyderabad-Bengaluru, Hyderabad-Chennai, Chennai-Bengaluru, Delhi-Varanasi and Varanasi-Siliguri via Patna.