New Delhi, Nov. 7 — The government is moving to standardize hydrogen-powered truck engines and testing procedures as India looks to develop alternatives to diesel for freight transport and cut emissions from heavy-duty vehicles.
The new and renewable energy ministry (MNRE) is working with the government-run auto testing agency, the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), to develop and standardize hydrogen-internal combustion engine (H2-ICE) powertrains, according to two people aware of the development and ARAI’s annual report.
The development comes amid mounting concerns over vehicular pollution, particularly in cities such as Delhi, which experience severe air pollution during the winter months.
Decarbonising freight transport is also important because even if diesel trucks account for around 5% of India’s vehicle fleet, they contribute more than a third of the transport sector’s carbon emissions. This makes heavy-duty vehicles an important target for India’s broader goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.
ARAI’s work under this project involves developing direct-injection hydrogen engine for heavy trucks, and establishing testing protocols for H2-ICE and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (H2FCV), noted the testing agency’s fiscal year 2026 (FY26) annual report.
H2-ICE engines burn hydrogen to generate power, much like conventional diesel engines. Fuel-cell vehicles use hydrogen to generate electricity, which drives an electric motor.
“Along with developing H2FCV powertrains for buses, the MNRE’s project with ARAI will also contribute towards transport sector targets under India’s Green Hydrogen Mission,” said the first person cited above, requesting anonymity.
The work to standardize hydrogen powertrains and their testing is part of the National Green Hydrogen Mission, a Rs.19,744-crore initiative approved in January 2023 to make India a global hub for green hydrogen production, use and exports. The transport sector is among the mission’s targeted areas for hydrogen adoption.
Automakers such as Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland have hydrogen-based truck models, while the government has stepped up trials of hydrogen-powered buses and trucks. These include five hydrogen fuel-cell buses in Leh in 2023-24, fuel-cell bus trials in Delhi-NCR in 2023, and the pilot projects announced in March 2025 under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, covering 37 buses and trucks across 10 routes, according to official government statements.
Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari described hydrogen as “the fuel of the future” at an event in New Delhi on 4 November.
“Hydrogen vehicles are also a part of the government’s long-term vision for India’s auto sector,” said the first person.
A February 2026 report by Niti Aayog on decarbonising India’s vehicle emissions by 2070 said hydrogen powertrains could complement electric vehicles, especially in long-haul freight.
The government has also extended policy support to hydrogen fuel cell vehicles under the Rs.25,938-crore production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for automobiles and auto parts, which allows eligible automakers to claim incentives till FY29.
India currently produces around 6.5 million tonnes of hydrogen annually, predominantly using fossil fuels, a process commonly referred to as grey hydrogen.
Research by the Indian government’s principal scientific advisor (PSA) in 2023 showed that a heavy-duty hydrogen ICE truck had an efficiency of 8.1 km per kilogram of hydrogen in testing on the Delhi-Jaipur corridor. At an annual distance of 60,000-70,000 km, such a truck would require around 7.4-8.6 tonnes of hydrogen.
India’s annual green hydrogen production capacity reached 8,000 tonnes per year as of February 2026, MNRE minister of state Shripad Yesso Naik informed the Rajya Sabha in March.
Scaling up green hydrogen production remains a challenge, with the availability and cost of electrolysers among the constraints. Electrolysers use electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.
“We are running many pilots in the transport sector for hydrogen usage,” said a government official aware of the development, the second person cited above, requesting anonymity.
Queries emailed to MNRE, ARAI, and truck makers Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland on 26 October remained unanswered till press time.
Experts said hydrogen powertrain pilots in commercial vehicles have been running for the last few years, but standardizing the testing of hydrogen vehicles and making standards for H2-ICE and H2FCV powertrains could act as guardrails for the industry.
“Engine makers have started to make H2-ICE engines over the last few years, and the same goes with H2FCV powertrains. Both these are mostly deployed in pilot projects at the moment,” said Sharif Qamar, associate director of transport and urban governance at New Delhi-based think tank The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).
“This intervention of standardisation will give guardrails for the industry to approach hydrogen powertrains. This will set, in a way, the minimum requirements, the benchmarks, for H2-ICE and fuel cell vehicles,” he said.Qamar, however, said that development of fuel infrastructure for hydrogen powertrains would be crucial to the proliferation of this zero-emission technology, especially along highway corridors to support freight movement.
ARAI receives funding from the ministry of heavy industries for specific initiatives, such as under the PM E-Drive scheme, which had an outlay of Rs.780 crore for four testing agencies, including ARAI.
The Pune-based testing agency also receives funds from the industry for commercial testing services.
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