The Government of India has launched five pilot projects under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) to introduce hydrogen-fueled buses and trucks.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) had earlier issued guidelines for implementing pilot projects in the transport sector and invited proposals for hydrogen-based vehicles, routes, and refueling stations.

After evaluating the proposals, MNRE sanctioned five pilot projects involving 37 hydrogen-powered vehicles and nine hydrogen refueling stations. These vehicles include 15 hydrogen fuel cell-based vehicles and 22 hydrogen internal combustion engine-based vehicles.

The selected vehicles will be deployed across ten significant routes:

• Greater Noida–Delhi–Agra
• Bhubaneshwar–Konark–Puri
• Ahmedabad–Vadodara–Surat
• Sahibabad–Faridabad–Delhi
• Pune–Mumbai
• Jamshedpur–Kalinga Nagar
• Thiruvananthapuram–Kochi
• Kochi–Edappally
• Jamnagar–Ahmedabad
• Visakhapatnam–Bayyavaram

These routes were identified based on their potential for hydrogen adoption in commercial transport. The projects have been awarded to multiple companies, including Tata Motors, Reliance Industries, NTPC, Agency for New and Renewable Energy Research and Technology, Ashok Leyland, Hindustan Petroleum, Bharat Petroleum, and Indian Oil Corporation.

The government allocated ₹2.08 billion (~$23.86 million) for these projects. The projects are expected to be commissioned within 18 to 24 months.

The projects primarily aim to develop commercially viable hydrogen-based transport technologies, focusing on buses and trucks.

They also aim to establish the necessary refueling infrastructure and support the country’s sustainable and scalable hydrogen fuel ecosystem development.

The hydrogen mission seeks to validate hydrogen-powered vehicles’ technical feasibility, operational performance, and economic viability. This initiative aims to help assess the safety and efficiency of these vehicles and the effectiveness of hydrogen refueling stations.

The National Green Hydrogen Mission was launched on January 4, 2023, with a total budget of ₹197.44 billion (~$2.26 billion) until the financial year 2030. The mission is part of India’s broader strategy to reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports, achieve significant decarbonization, and establish itself as a leader in green hydrogen technology

In October 2024, MNRE approved three pilot projects to use hydrogen in steel production under the National Green Hydrogen Mission. The government will provide ₹3.47 billion (~$41.28 million) as financial support for these pilot projects, which will likely be commissioned in the next three years.