India and Japan are looking to boost the cooperation between two countries. It is likely that authorities from the two countries may discuss India's second high-speed rail contract during Prime Minister Narendra Modi ongoing two-day visit to Japan.

China is one of the leading contenders for the high-speed rail projects in India. However, its candidacy may be challenged by Japan, which is interested in developing rail infrastructure in India. If the negotiations between two countries are fruitful, it will be second such project for Japan in the country.

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India has a speed rail link between Mumbai and Ahmedabad which is based on Japanese Shinkansen bull train train technology. The second project is likely to be located in central or southern India.

The Indian government has identified five corridors for the development of the second project. These corridors are Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Nagpur, Delhi-Kolkata, Mumbai-Nagpur, and Mumbai-Chennai. The high-speed rail project will see trains running at 300 kmph or higher. The government is currently carrying out feasibility studies on the projects.

The engineering work for the first project signed with Japan is expected to start in December. The phase will also include planning for bridges and tunnels. The project is likely to be completed by 2023-2024. The tariffs on the route will be lower than corresponding airfare.

Indian Prime Minster Modi will meet Japanese Emperor Akihito and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. In a statement, India's foreign ministry stated that it is "an occasion for the two leaders to have in-depth exchanges on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest."

TagsIndia, Japan, china