India Accelerates Hydrogen Economy with Major Announcements at ICGH–2025

Dr. Jitendra Singh underscored that clean energy is no longer an environmental choice but an economic, technological, and strategic necessity.

 

India has emerged as a frontrunner in the global clean energy transition, with Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh declaring that the country is “a key part of the global shift toward a self-reliant hydrogen economy.” He made the statement while addressing the 3rd International Conference on Green Hydrogen (ICGH–2025) at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.

The conference, organized by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, in collaboration with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), the Department of Science and Technology (DST), and the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), brought together policymakers, scientists, industry leaders, and researchers from across the globe.

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Clean Energy: An Economic and Strategic Imperative

Dr. Jitendra Singh underscored that clean energy is no longer an environmental choice but an economic, technological, and strategic necessity. “India will not merely adopt clean technologies — we will invent them, lead them, and ignite the world with our vision and grit,” he said, emphasizing that the hydrogen economy would serve as a cornerstone of India’s energy security and industrial competitiveness.

The Minister highlighted that India’s clean energy transformation is being driven by a collaborative model involving government, industry, and academia — a partnership that is shaping scalable and sustainable innovations for the future.

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Hydrogen Valleys: India’s Living Laboratories for Innovation

A key highlight of Dr. Singh’s address was the announcement of four Hydrogen Valleys being developed across the country. These large-scale projects — representing the full hydrogen value chain from production and storage to transportation and utilization — are backed by an investment of ₹485 crore, including ₹169.89 crore from the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) and ₹315.43 crore from industry and consortium partners.

Conceived by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and now integrated into MNRE’s NGHM, these Hydrogen Valley Innovation Clusters (HVICs) will serve as testbeds for technology validation, policy development, and industrial-scale demonstration, marking a milestone in India’s pursuit of green hydrogen excellence.

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Bridging Discovery and Deployment through R&D Reform

Dr. Singh also highlighted the recently launched Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) Scheme, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 3, 2025. With a corpus of ₹1 lakh crore, including ₹20,000 crore allocated for DST, the scheme aims to bridge the gap between discovery and deployment, strengthening India’s deep-tech ecosystem and accelerating clean energy research.

He described the initiative as a paradigm shift from traditional government-led funding to a collaborative model involving academia, startups, and industry, ensuring scientific resilience and economic sustainability.

The Minister further referenced the creation of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) as a landmark reform to align India’s R&D ecosystem with national priorities in clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and sustainability.

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Hydrogen and EV Missions Reflect Atmanirbhar Bharat Vision

Linking India’s hydrogen ambitions to broader technological missions, Dr. Singh cited the Mission for Advancement in High-Impact Areas – Electric Vehicle (MAHA–EV) as a testament to India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat spirit. The initiative brings together public research institutions and private enterprises to develop indigenous technologies in electric mobility, including advanced batteries, fuel cells, and scalable charging infrastructure.

He said that the mission exemplifies how India is designing clean mobility solutions suited to its unique climatic, economic, and geographic conditions, reducing dependency on imported technologies.

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Global Leadership Through Mission Innovation 2.0

Reaffirming India’s international commitment, Dr. Singh reminded the audience that the term “Mission Innovation” originated under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership. Through Mission Innovation 2.0, India is working with global partners to reduce the cost of clean hydrogen to USD 2 per kilogram and to replicate its Hydrogen Valley model worldwide by 2030.

He stated, “India’s leadership in this mission demonstrates how science, innovation, and enterprise are converging to power a clean and secure tomorrow.”

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Whole-of-Government Approach to Green Hydrogen Mission

Applauding inter-ministerial collaboration, Dr. Singh commended the MNRE, Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, MoPNG, DST, and DSIR for jointly organizing ICGH–2025. He described the Green Hydrogen Mission as a model of whole-of-government and whole-of-nation synergy, advancing innovation through shared vision and coordinated policy frameworks.

The Minister concluded that a self-reliant hydrogen economy would be central to India’s journey toward Viksit Bharat 2047. “Through innovation, collaboration, and collective resolve, we are creating a role model for the world,” he asserted, calling on all stakeholders to contribute to India’s clean energy revolution.

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A Global Platform for Collaboration

The two-day conference saw participation from prominent figures including Shri Shripad Y. Naik, Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy; Mr. Abhay Bakre, Mission Director, National Green Hydrogen Mission; Mr. Vineet Mittal, Chairman, Avaada Group; and Mr. Akash Tripathi, Managing Director, Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).

Panel discussions and technical sessions focused on themes such as hydrogen storage technologies, green ammonia, carbon capture, and global supply chains, reinforcing India’s growing reputation as a thought leader in the green hydrogen domain.

With ICGH–2025, India has reaffirmed its commitment to leading the global energy transformation — not as a follower, but as an innovator, enabler, and architect of a sustainable future.