NEW DELHI - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Narendra Modi on Thursday launched work on India's first high-speed train, estimated to cost over 17 billion dollars. "My dear friend Modi decided to bring high-speed railway and build a new India for which he chose the Shinkansen (bullet train). We are fully committed to support this initiative," Abe said after launching groundbreaking work for the project, being built with financial assistance from Japan. "A strong India is good for Japan and a strong Japan is good for India." Modi defended the project saying it would provide a big boost to India's employment and growth, adding that the project was a gift from Japan to India given the concessional terms.

Source: The China Post September 14, 2017 09:11 UTC