Japan Tops China in Race to Build India's First High-Speed Rail
- $15 billion deal reflects close ties between Modi and Abe
- Contract comes after China won Indonesian rail deal over Japan
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India selected Japan to help build its first high-speed rail link in a coup for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and a defeat for China, which also had bid for the signature project.
The $15 billion deal clinches three years of negotiations and reflects the deepening relationship between India and Japan stemming from the personal relationship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Abe. Shared investment objectives and a mutual apprehension about China’s expansionism are pushing the two nations closer together.