India to develop hydrogen highways, says Nitin Gadkari

Virtually addressing a gathering of global industry leaders, policymakers, and energy experts, Gadkari outlined India's vision to achieve self-reliance in fuel and transform agriculture into an energy powerhouse. Highlighting the urgency of reducing India's dependence on crude imports, currently at 87 per cent of demand and costing the nation nearly Rs 22 lakh crore annually, he said:

"Hydrogen is the fuel of the future. We have now launched the world's first large-scale hydrogen truck trials. A budgetary allocation of Rs 500 crore has been sanctioned to five consortiums across ten routes, with 37 vehicles participating. Industry partners include Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Volvo, BPCL, IOCL, NTPC and Reliance. Nine hydrogen refuelling stations will be established to support these trials. These corridors will serve as India's first hydrogen highways, creating the ecosystem for clean, long-haul mobility," he said.

The trials will run for two years across key routes including Greater Noida, Delhi, Agra, Bhubaneswar, Konark, Puri, Vadodara, Surat, Sahibabad, Faridabad, Pune, Mumbai, Jamshedpur, Kalinga, Thiruvananthapuram, Jamnagar, Ahmedabad Kochi, Vishakhapatnam which will link industry clusters, ports and freight corridors where hydrogen can make an immediate impact. He emphasized that the project's scope extends beyond vehicles, covering the entire hydrogen value chain, compression, storage, transport, and refuelling infrastructure.

Underscoring the broader national ambition, the Minister said India's target is to produce 5 million tons of green hydrogen annually by 2030, generating 6 lakh jobs and attracting Rs 8 lakh crore in investment. This transition is expected to cut fossil fuel imports by Rs 1 lakh crore per year and reduce CO2 emissions by 3.6 gigatons by 2050, equivalent to planting over 1,000 crore trees.

"India will be a manufacturer, an innovator, and an exporter. We will convert agriculture into energy, secure our fuel supplies, create jobs, and cut emissions all at once. This is India's moment to lead in clean fuels," he concluded.

Adding a macroeconomic perspective, Amitabh Kant, Former CEO of NITI Aayog, underscored that India's growth journey to becoming a USD 30 trillion economy by 2047 must be anchored in sustainability.

"Green hydrogen is not just an energy story, it is about jobs, exports, manufacturing, competitiveness, and climate leadership. If anything can decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors like cement, shipping, aviation, and long-haul transport, only green hydrogen can. India is climatically blessed and uniquely placed to lead this global race," Kant said.

He highlighted India's five distinct advantages: the world's cheapest renewable energy, clear government policy, a strong industrial base, large domestic demand, and powerful export opportunities to markets like Japan and Europe.

Kant called for government-to-government agreements, local electrolyser manufacturing, global marketing of India's green hydrogen story, large-scale skilling initiatives, and world-class regulation to make India the global hub of hydrogen. (ANI)