Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the nation from the Red Fort on the 80th Independence Day, highlighted rapid railway electrification and said 70 per cent of the network was electrified in the past decade compared with 30 per cent over the preceding 90 years. He noted electrification began in 1925 and that 100 per cent electrification was achieved within the last decade. Railway Board data show 99.6 per cent of the 70,142 broad?gauge route kilometres are electrified. The Railway Ministry told Parliament that 21,801 route kilometres were electrified before 2014 and 48,072 kilometres were completed between 2014 and 2026. The ministry reported that traction diesel consumption fell by 185 crore litres, equal to 1,850 million (mn) litres, from about 293 crore or 2,930 million (mn) litres in 2015-16 to 108 crore or 1,080 million (mn) litres in 2024-25. The prime minister said this had reduced reliance on imported diesel and produced savings for the Government of India’s exchequer. He highlighted environmental benefits from increased electric traction. Modi flagged off India’s first home-built hydrogen-powered train on July 17 as a pilot to test feasibility. The train runs on the 89-kilometre Jind-Sonipat section and was built for Rs 1,410 million (mn). The hydrogen trainset emits no carbon dioxide and releases only water vapour while running on electricity generated from hydrogen, which officials described as the cleanest fuel. The trial was presented as a step towards broader use of hydrogen technology in rail transport. He said production of modern railway coaches rose 21-fold over the past 12 years. Ministry data show 2,337 LHB coaches were made between 2004-05 and 2013-14 and production increased to 49,366 coaches from 2014-15 to 2025-26. The prime minister framed these gains as part of a broader effort to modernise Indian Railways and reduce fossil fuel reliance. Officials said the pilot hydrogen project and increased coach output were complementary to the modernisation drive.