In a major boost to India’s bullet train ambitions, Japan will be gifting two Shinkansen train sets—E5 and E3 series—to aid in testing and inspection of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor, currently under construction. According to The Japan Times, the move is intended to help India gather vital operational data ahead of the line’s partial opening in August 2027.
The gifted trains, expected to arrive in early 2026, will be equipped with inspection instruments to assess how high-speed rail technology performs under Indian conditions—specifically extreme heat, dust, and environmental factors. This data will not only support India’s high-speed rail rollout but will also help Japan fine-tune the development of its next-generation E10 series, or Alfa-X, expected to be introduced by the early 2030s.
Originally developed by JR East, the E5 series—known for its 320 kmph speed, aerodynamic nose, and quiet ride—was first selected for India's passenger service. The E3, an earlier model used for mini-Shinkansen lines, also boasts safety and design excellence. Though India initially planned to use E5s, project delays and cost escalations prompted a shift toward the more advanced E10 series, which can reach up to 400 kmph.
The gift marks a revival of momentum in the project, allowing India to gain hands-on experience with Shinkansen technology well before the launch of the E10. It also highlights a larger collaboration between the two countries aimed at customizing high-speed rail for Indian needs—including more luggage space and resilience to weather extremes.
This initiative is part of India’s broader National Rail Plan 2030, with Japan funding roughly 80% of the project through a low-interest loan from JICA. The terms are notably generous: a 0.1% interest rate and a 50-year repayment period.
This isn’t the first time Japan has shared its Shinkansen technology abroad. When Taiwan built its high-speed rail network, Japan provided a first-generation train for testing. The gesture to India now continues that tradition.
*Japan will give India an E3 based E926 East I inspection train (built in 2001) free of cost; only refurbishment expenses will apply.
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The gifted trains, expected to arrive in early 2026, will be equipped with inspection instruments to assess how high-speed rail technology performs under Indian conditions—specifically extreme heat, dust, and environmental factors. This data will not only support India’s high-speed rail rollout but will also help Japan fine-tune the development of its next-generation E10 series, or Alfa-X, expected to be introduced by the early 2030s.
Originally developed by JR East, the E5 series—known for its 320 kmph speed, aerodynamic nose, and quiet ride—was first selected for India's passenger service. The E3, an earlier model used for mini-Shinkansen lines, also boasts safety and design excellence. Though India initially planned to use E5s, project delays and cost escalations prompted a shift toward the more advanced E10 series, which can reach up to 400 kmph.
The gift marks a revival of momentum in the project, allowing India to gain hands-on experience with Shinkansen technology well before the launch of the E10. It also highlights a larger collaboration between the two countries aimed at customizing high-speed rail for Indian needs—including more luggage space and resilience to weather extremes.
This initiative is part of India’s broader National Rail Plan 2030, with Japan funding roughly 80% of the project through a low-interest loan from JICA. The terms are notably generous: a 0.1% interest rate and a 50-year repayment period.
This isn’t the first time Japan has shared its Shinkansen technology abroad. When Taiwan built its high-speed rail network, Japan provided a first-generation train for testing. The gesture to India now continues that tradition.
*Japan will give India an E3 based E926 East I inspection train (built in 2001) free of cost; only refurbishment expenses will apply.
Join - @funtech_404
NothingOS 3.0 vs FuntouchOS 15: Detailed comparison
1. The smartphone experience starts with the Lockscreen
Right of the bat here are some differences
NothingOS can be customised from the lockscreen whereas you have to go into settings for funtouch
2. FuntouchOS also gets the better AOD customisation, NothingOS is just the mirrored version of the lockscreen
One thing that was weird was that if you want a mirrored continuous AOD on OS you have to go in settings every time you change a wallpaper to set it to continuous.
3. Funtouchos gives more fonts, you can move around the clock position, change colour of the clock as well
FuntouchOS is way better in this regard
(1/5)
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Before we proceed, pls note that NothingOS will be on the left with funtouch on right in a side by side comparison
And in an Upper and lower comparison NothingOS will be on the upper side with FuntouchOS on the lower.
1. The smartphone experience starts with the Lockscreen
Right of the bat here are some differences
NothingOS can be customised from the lockscreen whereas you have to go into settings for funtouch
2. FuntouchOS also gets the better AOD customisation, NothingOS is just the mirrored version of the lockscreen
One thing that was weird was that if you want a mirrored continuous AOD on OS you have to go in settings every time you change a wallpaper to set it to continuous.
3. Funtouchos gives more fonts, you can move around the clock position, change colour of the clock as well
FuntouchOS is way better in this regard
(1/5)
Join - @funtech_404
👍1
Tech zone
Photo
4. You also get fingerprint customisation on FuntouchOS, so are the face unlock animations, apps entering animations, Homescreen scroll animation, everything that you sadly don’t get on NothingOS
5. As for some special features
NothingOS has widgets support, both toggle-able and static
FuntouchOS has depth effect support but it doesn’t activate until more than half of the number is covered for some reason…
6. Then we get to the Homescreen, where Nothing can pack more in the same amount of space
The Microsoft “To do” widget has no space to keep there in FuntouchOS
Widget spacing is way better in NothingOS
7. NothingOS widgets have some innacurracies
Like the time difference between India and Singapore is actually 2.5 hrs but they show it as 2hrs, FuntouchOS shows it correctly
FuntouchOS also shows more data in the same space, like the location of both, time in both, day and weather
8. FuntouchOS also gets the better first party icon comparison
(2/5)
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5. As for some special features
NothingOS has widgets support, both toggle-able and static
FuntouchOS has depth effect support but it doesn’t activate until more than half of the number is covered for some reason…
6. Then we get to the Homescreen, where Nothing can pack more in the same amount of space
The Microsoft “To do” widget has no space to keep there in FuntouchOS
Widget spacing is way better in NothingOS
7. NothingOS widgets have some innacurracies
Like the time difference between India and Singapore is actually 2.5 hrs but they show it as 2hrs, FuntouchOS shows it correctly
FuntouchOS also shows more data in the same space, like the location of both, time in both, day and weather
8. FuntouchOS also gets the better first party icon comparison
(2/5)
Join - @funtech_404
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9. Swiping down on funtouchOS Home Screen gives you global search where you can search your saved pdfs which is so useful Imissed this a lot after coming back to NothingOS
Oddly the files are only visible if they are saved through iqoo file manager
10. Moving on to the app drawers
Nothing gets two options one normal and one smart (the one that’s shown in the screenshot
Funtouch has blur, you can directly access widgets from there as well
11. Talking about widgets… NothingOS has widget search and FuntouchOS doesn’t which is so irritating as you have to scroll through all the widgets to get to where you want to go
12. FuntouchOS weather widget only has 3x2 or 2x2 option but not 4x2 which is a weird omission since its so easy to add
13. Both have floating windows implementation which works well for productivity
Though funtouchOS only goes full screen when you double tap it but nothingOS can be extended manually
(3/5)
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Oddly the files are only visible if they are saved through iqoo file manager
10. Moving on to the app drawers
Nothing gets two options one normal and one smart (the one that’s shown in the screenshot
Funtouch has blur, you can directly access widgets from there as well
11. Talking about widgets… NothingOS has widget search and FuntouchOS doesn’t which is so irritating as you have to scroll through all the widgets to get to where you want to go
12. FuntouchOS weather widget only has 3x2 or 2x2 option but not 4x2 which is a weird omission since its so easy to add
13. Both have floating windows implementation which works well for productivity
Though funtouchOS only goes full screen when you double tap it but nothingOS can be extended manually
(3/5)
Join - @funtech_404
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14. FuntouchOS also hasn’t incredible feature where you can run a floating window and switch it out for any of the 2 others easily
Big plus for funtouchOS.
15. FuntouchOS also gets smart sidebar from which you can activate floating window
16. Both have quick settings with auto brightness support
NothingOS gets customisation for the toggle sizes which funtouch doesn’t have
FuntouchOS shows that jovi icon in the top, some wasted space in the bottom
Also you need 2 swipes to access Brightness slider in NothingOS, its only 1 swipe in Funtouch
17. Moving onto system apps, most of them are fine with NothingOS having a monochrome design and FuntouchOS having a Skeuomorphic one
But one thing time is always in 24hr format in funtouch even if the system is in 12hrs
NothingOS switches between 12 hr and 24hr depending on what the system is set at.
18. Gaming mode in NothingOS is fine but FuntouchOS has it way better
-It has option to open apps
-Way more toggles
(4/5)
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Big plus for funtouchOS.
15. FuntouchOS also gets smart sidebar from which you can activate floating window
16. Both have quick settings with auto brightness support
NothingOS gets customisation for the toggle sizes which funtouch doesn’t have
FuntouchOS shows that jovi icon in the top, some wasted space in the bottom
Also you need 2 swipes to access Brightness slider in NothingOS, its only 1 swipe in Funtouch
17. Moving onto system apps, most of them are fine with NothingOS having a monochrome design and FuntouchOS having a Skeuomorphic one
But one thing time is always in 24hr format in funtouch even if the system is in 12hrs
NothingOS switches between 12 hr and 24hr depending on what the system is set at.
18. Gaming mode in NothingOS is fine but FuntouchOS has it way better
-It has option to open apps
-Way more toggles
(4/5)
Join - @funtech_404