India Launches First Hydrogen Train, as World Continues Search for Clean Energy

Amid the growing dominance of electric trains in various parts of the world, India has chosen a different path. On Friday (17/7/2026), the country launched its first hydrogen train, designed and built domestically, making it the newest member of a small group of advanced countries that have been operating hydrogen-based trains.

The launch of the “NaMo Green Rail” train on the Jind–Sonipat route in Haryana marks an important milestone for Indian railways. The train set, consisting of two hydrogen fuel cell-powered locomotives and eight carriages, is capable of carrying approximately 2,600 passengers.

During the inauguration of the train’s operation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to this project as part of efforts to build cleaner transportation while also strengthening India’s technological independence. The launch is also part of a larger agenda for India towards achieving net zero emissions by 2070.

“NaMo” is a common abbreviation of the first and last name of Narendra Modi. “This is a very important day in the direction towards a self-reliant India and sustainable development,” Modi said in a post on X.

India has joined the group of developed countries, including Germany, Japan, China, and the United States, that possess this type of train. This train only produces heat and water vapor as byproducts, a cleaner alternative compared to traditional diesel locomotives.

Hydrogen stored in a pressurized tank is converted into electricity via a fuel cell to power an electric motor, while the only emissions produced are water vapor.

A train consisting of 10 carriages will operate twice daily between the cities of Jind and Sonipat in the northern state of Haryana, which borders the national capital, Delhi.

After inaugurating the hydrogen train on the 90-kilometer route, Modi stated that India will continue to seek ways to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and expand the network.

“The project combines advanced propulsion technology with dedicated hydrogen storage, refueling and operational infrastructure,” an Indian government statement said on Thursday (July 16), as quoted by Reuters.

This series of trains, which were designed, engineered, and built in India, is expected to operate at a maximum speed of 75 km per hour, supported by a 1,200-kilowatt hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system.

However, behind the launch ceremony, there is actually a story that is much larger than just a new series of trains. The more intriguing question is why India has chosen to develop hydrogen trains when many countries are beginning to question the prospects of this technology.

The train is just a display case

At first glance, India’s decision appears paradoxical. Indian Railways has actually completed the electrification of more than 99 percent of its broad gauge railway network, making it one of the largest electrification programs in the world. This means that the majority of passenger trains in the country are no longer reliant on diesel locomotives.

So why is India still investing in hydrogen trains? The answer doesn’t lie solely in the transportation sector.

“The bigger story lies elsewhere,” wrote The Economic Times, one of India’s leading business and economic publications. According to the publication, the hydrogen train is merely a symbol of India’s strategy to build a “hydrogen economy,” an industrial ecosystem that utilizes hydrogen as a fuel and raw material for various strategic sectors.

The Indian government, through the National Green Hydrogen Mission, aims to make green hydrogen one of the foundations of the national energy transition. Hydrogen is projected not only for trains but also for the steel industry, fertilizers, shipping, energy storage, and heavy vehicles that are difficult to electrify directly.

In that perspective, the railway is just a stage to show that the technology can work in real conditions.

Hydrogen has long been referred to as the “fuel of the future.” Unlike coal or petroleum, hydrogen does not produce carbon when used in a fuel cell. The chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen generates electricity, heat, and water.

More importantly, hydrogen offers a solution to one of renewable energy’s biggest challenges: energy storage.

Solar power plants only produce electricity when the sun is shining. Wind turbines also depend on wind speed.

When electricity production exceeds demand, the excess energy can be used to split water into hydrogen through the process of electrolysis. The hydrogen is then stored and reused when the electricity supply decreases.

For this reason, many countries view hydrogen as a large-scale energy storage medium that can support renewable energy-based electrical systems.

In addition, there are several sectors that are indeed difficult to electrify, such as the steel industry, fertilizers, shipping, aviation, and some railway lines that do not yet have an electrical network. In these sectors, hydrogen is expected to play an important role in the future.

Not easy and expensive

Despite its promise, the journey of hydrogen technology has not been as smooth as envisioned a decade ago. Germany became the first country to operate hydrogen passenger trains commercially through the Coradia iLint in 2018.

After that, France, Italy, Japan, South Korea, China, and even the United States began to develop similar projects. Italy will even start operating hydrogen trains in the Valcamonica region as part of the decarbonization of regional transportation.

But Europe’s experience also presents significant challenges. The main problem isn’t trains, but hydrogen production.

To produce green hydrogen, a large amount of electricity is required. After that, hydrogen must be compressed, stored under high pressure, transported, and then converted back into electricity in a fuel cell. At each of these stages, energy loss occurs.

Overall, the efficiency of the hydrogen system is much lower than using electricity directly via an electrified rail network.

Various studies indicate that the efficiency of the electricity-hydrogen-electricity cycle is only about 30 percent. In contrast, cable-based electric trains can utilize most of the energy transmitted from the power grid.

Therefore, many analysts view electrification as the primary option for routes with high traffic, while hydrogen is more suitable to fill the market niche on routes that are not economically viable for installing electric cables.

In other words, hydrogen is likely not a replacement for electric trains, but rather a complement.

Indonesian Situation

If we look at the potential of resources, Indonesia actually has a significant capital to enter the hydrogen economy. The availability of solar, geothermal, hydro, and wind energy opens up opportunities to produce green hydrogen, which is hydrogen produced using electricity from renewable energy.

The government has also begun to incorporate hydrogen into various energy transition strategy documents, while PLN has developed several pilot projects for hydrogen production at power generation units. However, discussing hydrogen trains requires more specific considerations.

Unlike India, where almost the entire main network has been electrified, Indonesia is still in the process of expanding rail electrification, particularly on the island of Java, which serves as the center for passenger and freight movement.

For dense routes such as Jakarta–Surabaya, conventional electrification remains a far more efficient option than building an entire hydrogen supply chain.

Hydrogen trains have the potential to be more relevant on routes that do not yet have an electrical network and where traffic volume is not too high, for example, if the rail network in Sumatra, Kalimantan, or Sulawesi develops in the future.

However, this also depends on one important condition: Indonesia must be able to produce green hydrogen at a competitive price.

If hydrogen is still produced using electricity generated from coal or natural gas, the benefits of emission reduction become significantly smaller. Emissions may no longer be released from locomotives, but they shift to power plants or hydrogen production facilities.

The launch of hydrogen trains in India demonstrates that the energy transition is now entering a new phase. Countries are no longer just competing to build renewable power plants or electric vehicles, but are also beginning to seek ways to store energy and reduce emissions in sectors that are difficult to electrify.

In the competition, hydrogen emerged as one of the important candidates. However, global experience also shows that there is no single technology capable of addressing all the challenges of the energy transition.

For large cities with heavy traffic, direct electrification remains the most efficient solution. For light vehicles, batteries are likely to dominate.

Meanwhile, hydrogen is expected to play a role in sectors that are difficult to replace with other technologies, such as heavy industry, shipping, aviation, and some regional rail lines.

Therefore, the most important value of India’s hydrogen train launch may not lie in the train itself. More importantly, it is the strategic message conveyed by New Delhi to the world that hydrogen is not merely an alternative fuel, but rather the foundation for the new energy industry that is being developed.

For Indonesia, the lesson to be learned is not to race to have hydrogen trains as quickly as possible. The more pressing challenge is to first build a clean energy ecosystem, increase the share of renewable energy, expand electrification, and develop green hydrogen production that is truly low in emissions.

In the energy transition, the most advanced technology is not necessarily the most appropriate choice. What matters is whether the technology can meet the needs, is economically viable, and truly provides benefits for the climate.