PM Modi flags off India’s first hydrogen train on Jind-Sonipat route
India's first hydrogen fuel cell-powered passenger train was flagged off on the Jind-Sonipat route in Haryana, a stretch of nearly 90 km covering around 12 stations
The trainset uses a 1,200 kW hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system, approved for a maximum operating speed of 75 kmph and a design speed of 110 kmph
A ten-coach configuration gives it a capacity of around 2,600 passengers, reported to be the largest-capacity hydrogen trainset running anywhere in the world
Indian Railways commissioned a dedicated hydrogen storage and refuelling facility at Jind capable of holding around 3,000 kg of hydrogen, produced on-site through electrolysis
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology (PEMFC)
The train uses a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC), in which hydrogen gas reacts electrochemically with oxygen across a polymer membrane to generate electricity, with water vapour as the only emission. This differs fundamentally from a hydrogen internal combustion engine (which burns hydrogen and can still produce some NOx) and from a battery electric vehicle (which stores grid electricity chemically rather than generating it onboard).
Key Details
- PEMFCs operate at relatively low temperatures (60-80°C), enabling faster start-up than other fuel cell types such as Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC, 500-1000°C)
- Surplus electricity generated by the fuel cell when demand is low is stored in an onboard battery — making the propulsion system a fuel-cell-battery hybrid, not a pure fuel cell system
- Refuelling time for hydrogen is comparable to conventional fuelling (minutes), a key advantage over battery-electric vehicles which require longer charging times
- Hydrogen for the Jind facility is produced via electrolysis, meaning its "greenness" depends on whether the electricity used is renewable (green hydrogen) or grid-mix (grey/yellow hydrogen)
The Jind-Sonipat train is a real-world test of PEMFC technology at trainset scale, distinguishing it from smaller-scale hydrogen applications like fuel cell buses or cars, and from battery-electric traction already used on Indian Railways' electrified network.
National Green Hydrogen Mission (2023)
The Union Cabinet approved the National Green Hydrogen Mission on 4 January 2023 with an initial outlay of ₹19,744 crore, aiming to make India a global hub for the production, usage, and export of green hydrogen and its derivatives.
Key Details
- Target: 5 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) per annum of green hydrogen production capacity by 2030
- Associated renewable energy capacity addition of about 125 GW is expected to support this target
- Outlay breakdown: ₹17,490 crore for the SIGHT (Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition) programme, ₹1,466 crore for pilot projects, ₹400 crore for R&D, and ₹388 crore for other mission components
- Expected to attract over ₹8 lakh crore in investment and create over 6 lakh jobs by 2030
- Administered by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)
The Jind-Sonipat hydrogen train is a transport-sector pilot that aligns with the Mission's broader goal of building domestic green hydrogen demand beyond industrial use (refining, fertilisers, steel) into mobility applications.
Alternative Powertrains — Comparing Decarbonisation Pathways for Transport
Railways and road transport are exploring multiple non-fossil powertrain options, and UPSC frequently tests the ability to distinguish between them: Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV), Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV), and conventional electrified rail (overhead OHE traction).
Key Details
- BEVs store energy chemically in batteries charged from the grid; FCEVs generate electricity onboard from stored hydrogen
- FCEVs typically offer faster refuelling and better range for heavy, continuous-duty applications (buses, trains, trucks) where battery weight and charging downtime are constraints
- India's rail network is over 97% electrified via conventional overhead electric traction (as of recent Ministry of Railways data), so hydrogen trains are targeted mainly at non-electrified branch lines where diesel traction is still used
- The Jind-Sonipat project is positioned as a diesel replacement strategy for such non-electrified or hard-to-electrify routes
The hydrogen train's real significance for UPSC is as a case study in choosing the right decarbonisation technology for a specific transport use-case — heavy rail traction on non-electrified lines — rather than a blanket replacement for electrified traction.
- Route: Jind-Sonipat, Haryana — approximately 90 km, around 12 stations
- Propulsion: 1,200 kW hydrogen fuel cell system; max speed 75 kmph (design speed 110 kmph)
- Capacity: ten-coach configuration, approximately 2,600 passengers
- Cost: approximately ₹80 crore per trainset, plus approximately ₹70 crore for route-specific ground infrastructure (refuelling plant etc.)
- Hydrogen storage at Jind facility: approximately 3,000 kg capacity, produced via electrolysis
- National Green Hydrogen Mission target: 5 MMT/year green hydrogen production by 2030, outlay ₹19,744 crore (approved January 2023)