Ravi Mudgal comments

@Peter K Knowing the corruption level in India and the fact that 85% of the project funding comes from Japan (taxpayers funding?) 

This is not aid, it is concessional loan which will be repaid by India in span of 50 years. It is a win-win situation for both countries, Japanese companies will get a new project (and this is huge) while India will learn to build and operate a bullet train from Japan. As far as profit making is concerned, you are underestimating the power of Indian economy, India is the third largest economy on PPP basis (Purchasing Power Parity) and this route is the busiest route of the country which will connect Mumbai (Financial Capital) - Ahmedabad (again a major industrial city) - Delhi+ (national capital + NCR- Major Industrial area). So this will be a huge profit making project.