India opens first stage of $13bn Delhi to Mumbai expressway

Route linking two cities is part of concerted infrastructure push to catch up with geopolitical rival China

India has inaugurated the first stage of its longest expressway, a route linking Delhi and Mumbai, as it makes a concerted infrastructure push to catch up with its geopolitical rival China.

The $13bn (10.8bn) project will eventually cut the road travel time between the country's two biggest cities in half, to 12 hours.