On Vande Bharat platform India to Unveil 250 MPH Bullet Train

India is preparing to launch an indigenous bullet train that will reach speeds of more than 250 kilometres per hour (km/h).

• The Vande Bharat trains, which are being manufactured by Indian Railways' Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, will operate on recently announced north, south, and east corridors. These trains are being designed to reach a top speed of 220 kmph, making them faster than any existing trains on the Indian Railways network.
• The National High-Speed Rail Corporation Ltd (NHSRCL), which is responsible for executing India's first bullet train project, has completed 300 kilometres of pier work.
• The extensive land acquisition process for the entire 508-kilometre route was also completed in January, laying the foundation for India's journey into high-speed rail excellence.

Vande Bharat trains

The Vande Bharat trains are an excellent example of India's indigenous engineering prowess, showcasing the fusion of Indian technology and domestic manufacturing. 

The upcoming bullet train under development is based on the Vande Bharat platform, which can go from zero to 100 kmph in 52 seconds, making it faster than existing bullet trains, which do this in 54 seconds.

Japan is providing loan to India

While India is currently relying on Japanese technology for the bullet trains that will operate on the Ahmedabad to Mumbai line, the Vande Bharat trains will utilize more Indian tech and domestic manufacturing. 

A new corridor is being developed to complement the existing western corridor, which was created with the help of Japan and utilizes Japanese technology. 

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is providing a soft loan of approximately Rs 40,000 crore for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail project, which has a total project cost of more than Rs 1.08 lakh crore.