India's First Hydrogen Train Set to Hit the Tracks Soon

07 Oct 2024 CW Team

India is on the verge of launching its first hydrogen train, with Indian Railways enlisting Germany's TUV-SUD to carry out a third-party safety audit for the train. Officials familiar with the project expect that trial runs will begin in December 2024.

Once this initiative is realized, India will become the fifth country globally to operate hydrogen-powered trains, joining the ranks of Germany, France, Sweden, and China.

In addition, five Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Based Tower Cars (maintenance vehicles) are under development, with each unit estimated to cost around Rs 100 million.

Indian Railways plans to operate 35 trains under the Hydrogen for Heritage initiative, with an estimated cost of Rs 800 million per train, along with an additional Rs 700 million investment in ground infrastructure per route for various heritage or hilly routes.

The official further stated that the System Integration Unit battery and two fuel unit synchronization tests have been successfully completed. A pilot project is also in progress to retrofit a Hydrogen Fuel Cell onto an existing Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) rake, alongside the required ground infrastructure.

This train is expected to operate on the Jind-Sonipat section of Northern Railway. The official noted that the integration of the prototype train is planned at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai.

The hydrogen for the train in Haryana will be supplied by a 1-megawatt (MW) Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) electrolyser, which is being installed in Jind. GreenH Electrolysis announced that this electrolyser will operate continuously, producing approximately 430 kg of hydrogen per day.

Infrastructure Transport

13 Oct 2025

Tata, Airbus to Build India’s First Private Helicopter Line

In a landmark development for India’s aerospace sector, Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Airbus will establish the country’s first private-sector helicopter assembly line in Vemagal, Karnataka. The facility will manufacture the Airbus H125 and H125M, marking a significant milestone in India’s push for self-reliance in aviation and defence manufacturing. The new Final Assembly Line (FAL) will produce the H125, the world’s best-selling single-engine helicopter, known for its versatility and performance in extreme environments. The first ‘Made in India’ H125 is expected to ro..

NeGD to Support Bharat Taxi in Building Cooperative Ride Platform

In a significant move for India’s digital and mobility transformation, the National e-Governance Division (NeGD) of the Digital India Corporation, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has entered into an advisory partnership with Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited, the company behind Bharat Taxi — a first-of-its-kind, cooperative-led national ride-hailing platform. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between NeGD and Sahakar Taxi to provide strategic advisory and technical support covering key areas such as platform integration, cybersecurity..

MeitY Hosts Pre-Summit for India–AI Impact Summit 2026

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, hosted a series of Pre-Summit events for the upcoming India–AI Impact Summit 2026 at the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025 in New Delhi. These sessions mark a key milestone ahead of the main summit, scheduled for 19–20 February 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Delivering the inaugural address, S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, highlighted India’s innovative and frugal approach to AI development. “We have adopted innovative means by learning from others’ experiences to build projects and products that..