India has entered the hydrogen-powered mobility space with the launch of its first hydrogen-powered train, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his Independence Day address, highlighting the development as part of the country’s growing focus on next-generation fuels.
Speaking from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Modi said India had entered a new field of fuel technology and had started its first hydrogen-powered train.
The Prime Minister described the train as the longest and most powerful train of its kind, saying the development had established India’s presence in the global hydrogen-powered rail segment.
The hydrogen train announcement came in the portion of the speech focused on India’s efforts to diversify its energy sources and reduce dependence on conventional fuels.
Modi said India had already made significant progress in electrifying its railway network. Railway electrification began in the country in 1925, but only around 30% of the network had been electrified over the following 90 years. He said the remaining 70% had subsequently been electrified within a decade.
The shift towards electric railways, according to the Prime Minister, has helped reduce diesel consumption and the associated requirement for imported fuel.
The hydrogen-powered train represents another step into alternative propulsion technologies.
Hydrogen also features in Modi’s broader vision for the green economy. Later in the address, he identified green hydrogen, renewable energy, energy storage, green mobility and green manufacturing as key areas in which India must develop capabilities at global scale.
The two hydrogen-related themes reflect different but complementary priorities: hydrogen-powered mobility demonstrates the application of the technology in transportation, while green hydrogen is being positioned as a potential pillar of India’s future low-carbon economy.
The Prime Minister’s emphasis on hydrogen comes as India seeks to build capabilities across a range of emerging energy technologies rather than relying exclusively on conventional fuels or a single clean-energy source.
