Remember when Congress and LeLis like Dhruv Rathee mocked the Bullet Train project as a “waste” With China now announcing export restrictions on tunnel boring machines (TBMs), the need to develop indigenous construction technology is more important than ever. Such restrictions could potentially impact India’s critical border infra projects. This is where the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project matters beyond just running bullet trains. It’s acting as a major catalyst in making India self-reliant in advanced construction machinery. Before MAHSR, India lacked indigenous Full Span Launching Method (FSLM) technology. Today, specialised equipment like straddle carriers and girder transporters is manufactured entirely in Chennai—a capability only a handful of countries possess (see the video) Next up: TBMs. German giant Herrenknecht is setting up manufacturing and assembly facilities in India, while state-owned BEML has also taken steps towards developing indigenous TBMs.