India is emerging as a pivotal player in the global shift toward a self-reliant hydrogen economy, said Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, while addressing the 3rd International Conference on Green Hydrogen (ICGH–2025) at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.

The Minister emphasized that clean energy is no longer a matter of environmental choice but an economic, technological, and strategic imperative essential to India’s growth trajectory. He highlighted that India’s clean energy transformation is being powered by a collaborative model uniting government, industry, and academia to develop sustainable, homegrown innovations.

“India will not merely adopt clean technologies — we will invent them, lead them, and ignite the world with our vision and grit,” he remarked, describing the hydrogen economy as a cornerstone of the nation’s energy security and industrial competitiveness.

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), Department of Science and Technology (DST), and Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), the two-day conference convened policymakers, scientists, researchers, and industry leaders to shape India’s green hydrogen roadmap.

Highlighting major initiatives, Dr Jitendra Singh announced the development of four Hydrogen Valleys across India to demonstrate the complete hydrogen value chain — encompassing production, storage, transport, and utilization — with an overall investment of ₹485 crore. Of this, ₹169.89 crore has been allocated under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM), while ₹315.43 crore will be contributed by industry and consortium partners.

These Hydrogen Valley Innovation Clusters (HVICs), conceptualized by DST and integrated under MNRE’s NGHM, will serve as large-scale demonstration projects and living laboratories for innovation, standardization, and policy development.

The Minister also referred to the recently launched Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 3, 2025. With a ₹1 lakh crore corpus and ₹20,000 crore allocation for the DST, the scheme aims to accelerate deep-tech and clean energy innovation while fostering collaboration between startups and industry. Dr Jitendra Singh described it as a historic step towards bridging discovery and deployment, shifting India’s research funding model from government-driven to collaborative and sustainable.

He further highlighted the establishment of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) as a landmark reform to integrate academia, industry, and government under a unified, mission-oriented framework. The Foundation is expected to align India’s research capabilities with national priorities in clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and sustainability.

Citing the Mission for Advancement in High-Impact Areas – Electric Vehicle (MAHA–EV), the Minister said the initiative embodies India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision by promoting indigenous innovation in electric mobility and hydrogen fuel technologies. It unites public research institutions and private enterprises to develop advanced batteries, fuel cells, and scalable charging infrastructure suited to Indian needs.

Dr Jitendra Singh also underscored India’s leadership in global clean energy cooperation, recalling that the term “Mission Innovation” was originally introduced by Prime Minister Modi. Under Mission Innovation 2.0, India is collaborating with international partners to reduce the cost of clean hydrogen to USD 2 per kilogram and replicate the Hydrogen Valley model globally by 2030.

He lauded the inter-ministerial and whole-of-nation approach driving the success of the Green Hydrogen Mission, commending MNRE, the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, MoPNG, DST, and DSIR for their coordinated efforts in organizing the conference and fostering cross-sectoral dialogue.

Concluding his address, the Minister reaffirmed that a self-reliant hydrogen economy will be central to India’s march toward Viksit Bharat 2047. “Through innovation, collaboration, and collective resolve, we are creating a role model for the world,” he said, urging all stakeholders to work collectively to realize India’s clean energy ambitions.

The conference also featured participation from Shripad Y Naik, Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy; Abhay Bakre, Mission Director, National Green Hydrogen Mission; Vineet Mittal, Chairman, Avaada Group; and Akash Tripathi, Managing Director, Solar Energy Corporation of India, among others.

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