India’s first hydrogen-powered train successfully completes trial run between Delhi & Jind

India's first hydrogen fuel cell-powered train successfully completed a final high-speed trial run on the Delhi–Jind route, reaching 120 km/h, with emergency...

What Happened

India's first hydrogen fuel cell-powered train successfully completed a final high-speed trial run on the Delhi–Jind route, reaching 120 km/h, with emergency braking distance and train oscillation stability both validated.
The train is a 10-coach Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) retrofitted with hydrogen fuel cell technology, approved for regular operations on the Jind–Sonipat section under Northern Railway at a commercial maximum speed of 75 km/h.
Technical sanction was provided by RDSO (Research Designs and Standards Organisation) and safety clearance by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CCRS) before the Railway Board's final approval.
An indigenous hydrogen storage and refuelling facility at Jind — including a 1 MW PEM electrolyser producing approximately 430 kg of hydrogen per day — has received operational licensing from the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO).
Indian Railways plans to deploy 35 hydrogen trains on heritage and hilly routes as part of a broader programme to decarbonise challenging rail corridors.

Static Topic Bridges

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology

A hydrogen fuel cell generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen (H₂) and oxygen (O₂), producing water vapour as the only direct emission — no carbon dioxide, no particulate matter. India's train uses Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC), which are compact, operate at relatively low temperatures (60–80°C), and are suited to transport applications. Electricity generated powers electric traction motors; surplus energy is stored in high-voltage battery banks, which also buffer peak loads (e.g., acceleration).

PEMFC output for this trainset: 1,200 kW (1.2 MW) total propulsion power
Hydrogen produced on-site via a 1 MW PEM electrolyser at Jind station; storage capacity 3,000 kg
Hydrogen purity: ISO 14687 standard (required for fuel cell automotive/rail applications)
Technology configuration: Distributed Power Rolling Stock (DPRS) — power units distributed across coaches rather than concentrated in a single locomotive
Hydrogen dispensing facility licensed by PESO under the Gas Cylinder Rules

Connection to this news: The trial confirms PEMFC-DPRS configuration works reliably at speeds above commercial operating limits, clearing the path for passenger service.

RDSO (Research Designs and Standards Organisation)

RDSO is the sole research and development organisation under the Ministry of Railways, headquartered in Lucknow. It functions as the technical authority responsible for design standards, safety certification, and operational approval for all rolling stock and infrastructure on Indian Railways. No new train design can be inducted without RDSO clearance; the organisation issues speed certificates, design approvals, and monitors ongoing safety compliance.

Statutory authority: established under the Railways Act; functions under the Railway Board
RDSO issued the Final Speed Certificate for the hydrogen trainset in March 2026
Also responsible for specifying hydrogen storage safety standards under Indian operating conditions
Commissioner of Railway Safety (CCRS) — a separate statutory office under the Ministry of Civil Aviation — provides independent safety certification before passenger operations begin

Connection to this news: RDSO's speed certificate and CCRS clearance are the two mandatory gate checks that enabled the Railway Board to grant approval for the Jind–Sonipat operations.

Green Hydrogen in India's Decarbonisation Strategy

Green hydrogen — produced by electrolysing water using renewable electricity — is central to India's National Green Hydrogen Mission (launched January 2023), which targets 5 million metric tonnes (MMT) of domestic green hydrogen production per year by 2030. Rail is one of several hard-to-abate sectors (along with steel and fertilisers) where direct electrification is difficult, making hydrogen a strategic option. Indian Railways has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030.

National Green Hydrogen Mission approved: January 2023; outlay ₹19,744 crore
Target: 5 MMT/year green hydrogen by 2030
Indian Railways net-zero target: 2030
Hydrogen train pilots globally: Germany (Coradia iLint, 2018 — world's first commercial hydrogen passenger train), South Korea, UK
35 hydrogen trains planned on heritage/hilly routes (e.g., Darjeeling, Kalka–Shimla corridors being considered)

Connection to this news: The Jind–Sonipat pilot is the operational proof-of-concept that will inform procurement, infrastructure, and scaling decisions under the National Green Hydrogen Mission's transport pillar.

Key Facts & Data

Train type: 10-coach DEMU, hydrogen fuel cell retrofit
Trial speed achieved: 120 km/h
Approved commercial speed: 75 km/h (Jind–Sonipat, Northern Railway)
Propulsion power: 1,200 kW (PEMFC + battery hybrid)
Technology: PEMFC + DPRS (Distributed Power Rolling Stock)
Electrolyser capacity at Jind: 1 MW PEM; hydrogen output ~430 kg/day
Hydrogen storage: 3,000 kg at Jind facility
Safety approvals: RDSO (March 2026 speed certificate) + CCRS + PESO
National Green Hydrogen Mission: January 2023, ₹19,744 crore outlay, 5 MMT/year target by 2030
Indian Railways net-zero target: 2030
Germany's Coradia iLint: world's first commercial hydrogen passenger train (2018)
Indian Railways hydrogen train scale-up plan: 35 trains on heritage/hilly routes