India, Netherlands Deepen Green Hydrogen Partnership with New Fellowship and IIT MoU

DST released the Scheme Guidelines and Call for Proposals (CFP) today, marking the formal opening of applications.

India and the Netherlands today took a major step forward in strengthening bilateral cooperation in clean energy and green hydrogen research, with the launch of the India–Netherlands Hydrogen Fellowship Programme and the signing of a landmark academic cooperation framework between the University of Groningen and 19 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).

The initiatives, hosted by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, signal a shared commitment to accelerate research, capacity building, and deployment-oriented innovation in hydrogen technologies, aligned with India’s ambitious clean energy transition goals.

---

India–Netherlands Hydrogen Fellowship Programme Launched

The newly launched India–Netherlands Hydrogen Fellowship Programme is a national capacity-building initiative open to eligible Indian:

• Doctoral researchers

• Postdoctoral scholars

• Faculty members

across institutions.

DST released the Scheme Guidelines and Call for Proposals (CFP) today, marking the formal opening of applications.

The fellowship aims to strengthen India’s deployment readiness in hydrogen technologies by providing structured exposure to advanced hydrogen ecosystems in the Netherlands.

Key focus areas include:

• System integration

• Safety frameworks

• Techno-economic analysis

• Life-cycle assessment

• Indigenisation pathways

The programme is designed to ensure that research outcomes directly contribute to India’s national clean energy priorities.

---

DST Secretary Prof. Abhay Karandikar Highlights Deployment Focus

The fellowship programme was launched by Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, DST, in the presence of Mr. Huib Mijnarends, Deputy Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to India.

Prof. Karandikar emphasised that:

“Focused international collaboration and targeted capacity-building initiatives are critical for advancing hydrogen technologies from research to deployment, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors aligned with India’s clean energy transition goals.”

---

Indo-Dutch Alignment on Energy Transition

Deputy Ambassador Mr. Huib Mijnarends highlighted the strong alignment between India and the Netherlands in the field of hydrogen and broader energy transition efforts.

Prof. Dr. Jouke de Vries, President of the University of Groningen, underlined the importance of sustained academic partnerships in addressing global energy challenges.

---

University of Groningen Signs MoU with 19 IITs

In a landmark move, DST also hosted the signing of an institution-to-institution MoU between the University of Groningen and 19 IITs, establishing a long-term framework for cooperation in hydrogen and green energy research.

The MoU will facilitate:

• Faculty and student exchange

• Joint research programmes

• Knowledge sharing and innovation collaboration

Importantly, the agreement operates without automatic financial commitments, serving as an enabling framework for future cooperation.

---

Supporting India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission

The high-level engagement reflects the shared Indo-Dutch commitment to advancing green hydrogen innovation in line with:

• India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission

• Energy Independence 2047 vision

• Net-Zero 2070 objectives

These initiatives are expected to strengthen India’s human capital and technological leadership in the emerging global hydrogen economy.

---

Senior IIT and DST Leadership Present

Several senior officials and academic leaders attended the event, including:

• Prof. Dhirendra S. Katti, Director, IIT Goa

• Prof. Venkappayya R. Desai, Director, IIT Dharwad

• Dr. Anita Gupta, Head, CEST Division, DST

• Dr. Ranjith Krishna Pai, Senior Director, HVIC and HFC Programme Officer, DST

• Senior representatives from other participating IITs

---

Strengthening Human Capital for the Hydrogen Economy

The launch of the fellowship and the Groningen–IIT cooperation framework mark a significant milestone in deepening Indo-Dutch scientific collaboration and building skilled talent for clean energy technologies.

As green hydrogen becomes central to global decarbonisation pathways, these initiatives position India to accelerate research-to-deployment solutions and play a leading role in the future hydrogen economy.