India Green Hydrogen Mission Targets 5 MMT by 2030
India is accelerating efforts to establish a domestic green hydrogen industry, with the National Green Hydrogen Mission targeting annual production capacity of at least 5 million metric tonnes (MMT) by 2030.
Approved by the Union Cabinet in January 2023 with an outlay of ₹19,744 crore, the mission aims to position India as a global hub for green hydrogen and its derivatives, including green ammonia and green methanol.
Green hydrogen is produced by splitting water through electrolysis using renewable electricity. It can help reduce emissions in sectors where direct electrification is difficult, including fertiliser production, petroleum refining, steel manufacturing, heavy-duty transport and shipping.
India’s Green Hydrogen Standard, notified in August 2023, defines green hydrogen as hydrogen with emissions of no more than 2 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent per kg of hydrogen, measured on a well-to-gate basis over a 12-month average.
Production Incentives and Manufacturing Capacity
The Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) programme is a central component of the mission, with an allocation of ₹17,490 crore until 2029–30. It provides incentives for domestic electrolyser manufacturing and green hydrogen production.
According to the government, incentives have been awarded to 15 companies for 3,000 MW per year of electrolyser manufacturing capacity. Around 8,000 tonnes per annum of green hydrogen production capacity had been commissioned by February 2026, while incentives have been awarded for a further 8.62 lakh tonnes per annum of production capacity.
The government also reports that Indian companies have signed green hydrogen offtake commitments exceeding 5.5 lakh tonnes per annum by October 2026.
Pilot Projects Target Steel, Transport and Shipping
The mission is supporting pilot projects to test hydrogen-based alternatives to fossil fuels in hard-to-abate industries.
Five pilot projects have been sanctioned in the steel sector, including ₹84 crore in support for testing 100% hydrogen injection. In mobility, 12 projects will deploy 70 hydrogen-powered vehicles, comprising 27 buses and 43 trucks, alongside 16 refuelling stations across 21 routes.
The shipping sector is also part of the programme. V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority has awarded a ₹38.12 crore project to develop green methanol bunkering and refuelling facilities, including a ₹35 crore grant from MNRE.
India is also exploring hydrogen’s use in rail transport. Its first indigenous hydrogen-powered train was inaugurated on the Jind–Sonipat section on July 17, 2026. The 10-car trainset can carry around 2,600 passengers.
Hydrogen Hubs and Policy Support
To address the challenges of transporting hydrogen, the mission is promoting integrated production and consumption clusters. MNRE has recognised Deendayal Port in Gujarat, V.O. Chidambaranar Port in Tamil Nadu and Paradip Port in Odisha as green hydrogen hubs.
A 1 MW indigenously built green hydrogen plant was commissioned at Kandla Port in July 2025. Four Hydrogen Valley Innovation Clusters have also been awarded in Jodhpur, Odisha, Pune and Kerala.
Policy measures include a 25-year waiver of inter-state transmission charges for eligible green hydrogen and green ammonia plants commissioned by December 31, 2030. The Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia Policy also provides for open access within 15 days and banking of surplus renewable electricity for up to 30 days, subject to applicable regulations.
India Expands Certification, Research and Global Partnerships
MNRE launched the Green Hydrogen Certification Scheme of India in April 2025, with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency accrediting agencies responsible for monitoring, verification and certification. A dedicated certification portal went live in June 2026.
The mission has also allocated ₹400 crore for research and development, with an initial roadmap worth ₹113 crore supporting approved projects in hydrogen production, storage and safety.
International cooperation includes agreements and joint initiatives with Australia, Finland, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Uzbekistan, alongside an India–US Hydrogen Task Force.
The government estimates that the mission could mobilise more than ₹8 lakh crore in investment, create over 6 lakh jobs and help avoid nearly 50 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually by 2030. It also aims to reduce cumulative fossil fuel imports by approximately ₹1 lakh crore.
The scale of these targets will depend on production costs, renewable electricity availability, infrastructure development and the ability to secure long-term industrial demand. India’s challenge now is to translate its growing pipeline of incentives and projects into commercially viable production and sustained consumption.
