New Delhi, 17 July. India on Friday clarified that there was no damage to the ‘Shaheed Beheshti’ terminal there due to the US attacks on Iran’s Chabahar port. US officials admitted that they had attacked the Chabahar port this week as part of their military campaign against Iran. Chabahar port has two terminals – Shaheed Beheshti and Shaheed Kalantari. Of these, Shaheed Beheshti Terminal is being operated by India.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a media briefing that the exemption from US sanctions on Chabahar had expired in April. Since then, India has been in talks with the concerned parties to take the issue forward. While confirming the news of the attack, he made it clear that the Indian terminal is completely safe.
Protest against attacks on civilian infrastructure
Randhir Jaiswal also reiterated India’s stand on the ongoing conflict in West Asia. He said that civilian infrastructure should not be targeted under any circumstances. Chabahar Port is being developed jointly by India and Iran to promote trade and connectivity between the two countries. Both countries are advocating making Chabahar a part of the ‘International North-South Transport Corridor’ (INSTC).
Former Japanese minister’s claims regarding bullet train project rejected
Rejecting the claims of a former Japanese minister holding India responsible for the delay in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project, the External Affairs Ministry spokesperson said that these comments are personal opinion and are quite different from the facts. In fact, talks between India and Japan regarding the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed train are progressing well.
Japan’s E-20 train series possible only in early 2030s
Randhir Jaiswal said that Japan will provide the E-20 train series. But this will be possible only in the early 2030s. This train is still in the development stage. Meanwhile, construction work is progressing rapidly. The first part will start in the year 2027 itself. Therefore both sides have agreed to start operations with the Indian High Speed Train.
Jaiswal said that the signaling equipment has been ordered accordingly and it is in accordance with international standards. No proposal was received from Japan in this matter. The project work is progressing in accordance with the common goal that the high speed train project be started as soon as possible.
Former Justice Minister of Japan Makihara had expressed his displeasure over the delay in the project.
It is noteworthy that former Justice Minister of Japan Hideki Makihara had expressed his displeasure regarding the Bullet Train project. He posted on social media platform X and claimed that the biggest reason for the delay in the project was the attitude of the Indian side. Makihara said that he himself has been involved in this project and the Japanese team worked diligently. But progress could not be made as expected.
According to him, the Indian side did not fulfill the promises made several times and despite the agreements, the terms were later changed. He claimed that due to this the pace of the project was affected. He also said that even the Prime Minister level meetings did not yield the expected results.
PM Modi had laid the foundation stone with the then Japanese PM Shinzo Abe in 2017.
It is noteworthy that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe had laid its foundation stone in Ahmedabad on September 14, 2017. The journey between Mumbai and Ahmedabad by bullet train on this 508 km long corridor is expected to be completed in about three hours. At present it takes about seven to eight hours to cover this distance by normal train. 12 stations are proposed on this route including Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad and Sabarmati. Among these, Mumbai station will be underground.
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