India achieved a significant milestone when its first hydrogen-powered train operated between Jind and Sonipat in Haryana earlier this month, joining Japan, Germany, the US and China in deploying hydrogen train technology. According to reports from Mint, this development comes three years after the launch of the nearly ₹20,000 crore National Green Hydrogen Mission, with a domestic hydrogen ecosystem now beginning to take shape. The hydrogen train has now logged approximately 900 km in its first five days of commercial operations, demonstrating strong operational performance. The 10-coach train, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 17, operates on the Jind-Sonipat route and is powered by two 1,200-kilowatt hydrogen-electric propulsion systems instead of conventional diesel engines. The train generates electricity through onboard fuel cells that combine hydrogen and oxygen, producing only water vapour and heat as by-products, making it a zero-emission mode of transport.
The ₹19,744-crore National Green Hydrogen Mission has begun laying foundations for a hydrogen economy, though commercial deployment remains limited. As reported by Mint, the programme targets annual production of 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030, but only about 8,000 tonnes per annum had been commissioned by February 2026. Under the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) programme, the government has awarded incentives for 862,000 tonnes of annual hydrogen production and 3,000MW of domestic electrolyser manufacturing capacity. Companies including JSW Energy and Indian Oil have also begun commissioning commercial projects. The success of the Jind-Sonipat service is expected to serve as a model for expanding hydrogen-powered rail transport across the country.
The biggest challenge facing India's hydrogen economy is cost competitiveness, with green hydrogen currently costing ₹400-560 per kg compared to ₹150-225 per kg for conventional grey hydrogen. According to Mint reports, renewable electricity accounts for 60-70% of production costs, while electrolysers, storage, transport and financing add further expenses. India also needs to build domestic manufacturing capacity for electrolysers and other hydrogen technologies to avoid replacing dependence on imported crude with dependence on imported hydrogen equipment. Despite the adoption of advanced technology, ticket fares have been kept unchanged and remain on par with existing Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) services, ranging between ₹10 and ₹25, ensuring affordable travel for commuters.
Creating demand will be as important as expanding supply, with the first market expected from industries that already use hydrogen, particularly refineries and fertilizer plants. As reported by Mint, the government has signed long-term green ammonia supply agreements covering 724,000 tonnes annually across 13 fertilizer plants and is working on Green Hydrogen Consumption Obligations that would require industries to gradually replace grey hydrogen with greener alternatives. The sector will achieve commercial scale only when green hydrogen becomes cost-competitive enough for industries to adopt without sustained government support. Prime Minister Modi noted at the inauguration that hydrogen train technology had emerged globally only seven to eight years ago and that India's newly launched hydrogen train demonstrated the country's growing technological capabilities.
