India's first hydrogen train: A milestone in clean rail, but challenges remain

Context: A quiet shift on Indian Railways

On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off India's first hydrogen-powered train, built entirely within the country. The event, held at a railway facility in Haryana, marked a symbolic leap in the government's push to decarbonise one of the world's largest rail networks.

The train, which runs on hydrogen fuel cells instead of diesel, emits only water vapour. Indian Railways, which currently relies on diesel for about 40% of its passenger and freight movement, has set a target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. The hydrogen train is the latest addition to a portfolio that already includes 100% electrification of broad-gauge routes — a milestone achieved earlier this year.

However, officials and analysts alike caution that the hydrogen train is not a silver bullet. It is expected to serve a niche role, primarily on routes where overhead electric wires are impractical or too expensive to install.

Background: How the hydrogen train works

The train is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell system that converts hydrogen gas into electricity. The only byproduct is water vapour, making it a zero-emission mode of transport at the point of use. The train can run for about 1,000 kilometres on a single tank of hydrogen, according to railway officials.

The project was developed by the Ministry of Railways in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras and several private-sector partners. The prototype was built at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, with components sourced from domestic manufacturers wherever possible. The government has not disclosed the total cost of the project, but industry estimates peg it at roughly ₹80 crore per train — significantly higher than a conventional diesel locomotive.

The launch places India in a small group of countries experimenting with hydrogen rail. Germany began trial runs of hydrogen trains in 2018, and China unveiled its own prototype earlier this year. But unlike those nations, India faces unique challenges: extreme heat, dust, and a sprawling rail network that spans some 68,000 kilometres.

Why it matters: Symbolism meets strategy

The hydrogen train is as much a political statement as it is an engineering achievement. The Prime Minister used the launch event to criticise opposition parties — specifically the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party — for what he called their failure to prioritise modernisation of the railways during their tenures in power.

Beyond the political theatre, the train signals a strategic shift. India imports roughly 85% of its crude oil, and the transport sector accounts for about 12% of the country's greenhouse gas emissions. Hydrogen, if produced using renewable energy — so-called green hydrogen — offers a way to cut both import dependence and carbon output.

But the economics remain uncertain. Green hydrogen is currently three to four times more expensive than diesel on an energy-equivalent basis, according to data from the International Energy Agency. The government has announced a National Hydrogen Mission with a budget of ₹19,744 crore, but most of that is aimed at industrial uses, not transport.

What to watch: Infrastructure and scale

The biggest hurdle for hydrogen trains is not the train itself — it is the fuel supply chain. Hydrogen must be produced, compressed, stored, and transported to refuelling stations. India currently has no dedicated hydrogen refuelling infrastructure for rail. The first refuelling station, located at the flag-off site, was built as a one-off demonstration unit.

Railway officials say they plan to deploy 35 hydrogen trains on heritage and hill routes over the next three years, where electrification is difficult. But scaling up to hundreds of trains would require a nationwide network of hydrogen production and storage facilities, something that does not yet exist.

There is also the question of cost recovery. Fares on Indian Railways are heavily subsidised, and the economics of hydrogen trains — which are more expensive to buy and operate than electric trains — remain unclear. The government has not announced any fare premium for hydrogen-powered services.

Other countries have moved cautiously. Germany's Alstom-built hydrogen trains, launched in 2018, now serve only a handful of routes in Lower Saxony. The UK and France have announced pilot projects but no large-scale deployments. India's ambition to leapfrog to hydrogen must contend with these global realities.

What happens next will depend on how quickly the hydrogen supply chain develops, and whether the government is willing to subsidise operations until costs fall. The Prime Minister has promised that the train will be expanded to more routes, but no timeline has been given. For now, the hydrogen train remains what it was on Friday: a proof of concept, not a revolution.