India’s first indigenous bullet train body frame has been completed and sent for a squeeze test, with full-train testing expected to begin in May or June 2027, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said at an event in Vadodara on September 9, 2026.
The testing is expected to continue for two to four months before the train is inaugurated, according to the minister. Vaishnaw said construction on the wider high-speed rail project was progressing, while the Surat-Vapi section was expected to be completed by December 2026.
“By May or June of next year, India’s own bullet train will be on the tracks for testing,” Vaishnaw said while addressing the ‘NaMo for Viksit Bharat’ event. He added that the train would be inaugurated after the testing period.
The indigenous train is being developed as part of Indian Railways’ effort to build high-speed trainsets domestically. Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, has awarded BEML Limited an Rs 866.87-crore contract to design, manufacture and commission two prototype bullet trains. The trainsets are planned to have a design speed of 280 kmph and an operating capability above 250 kmph.
Each prototype train will consist of eight coaches. The planned configuration includes fully air-conditioned chair-car coaches, reclining and rotatable seats, onboard infotainment systems and facilities for passengers with disabilities. Indian Railways is planning to use stainless steel for the train bodies.
The trains are being developed for India’s heat and dust conditions, which require different engineering considerations from high-speed trains designed primarily for colder climates in countries such as Japan and those in Europe. BEML has established the Aditya High-Speed Rail Complex in Bengaluru for manufacturing the trainsets.
The first prototype is targeted for rollout by March 2027 and will undergo testing by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation. The first generation of the trainsets is being designed for 280 kmph, while later versions are expected to reach speeds of up to 350 kmph.
The first bullet train service in India could begin in 2027. The Surat-Bilimora section of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project is expected to be commissioned by August 2027, according to the information cited in the report.
Vaishnaw said the train would reduce travel time between Vadodara and Mumbai to about one and a half hours. He also described the indigenous train programme as part of the government’s effort to advance domestic manufacturing under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
The minister also outlined other railway modernisation measures, including changes to operating and reservation systems, new wagon designs for freight transport and updated construction practices. He said 280 railway stations had been redeveloped and 36,000 km of new railway tracks had been developed. The next formal milestones for the indigenous bullet train are the completion of the prototype, testing by RDSO and the planned commissioning of the initial Mumbai-Ahmedabad section.
