Indian govt launches Rs 100 crore scheme to support startups in hydrogen innovation

The Indian government has unveiled a Rs 100-crore scheme to support startups working on green hydrogen technologies, as Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi inaugurated the first Annual Green Hydrogen R&D Conference in New Delhi on Thursday.

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The initiative, which was announced alongside the two-day conference organised by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), will provide grants of up to Rs 5 crore per project to startups piloting solutions in hydrogen production, storage, transport and utilisation. 25 startups are showcasing technologies ranging from electrolyser manufacturing to AI-driven optimisation and biological hydrogen solutions.

Joshi emphasised that the conference was “not just about sharing ideas but about turning research into practical solutions that can power industries, clean cities, and create lakhs of new jobs across India.”

He tied the announcement to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM), launched in 2023 with an outlay of Rs 19,744 crore, which seeks to make India a global hub for green hydrogen through four pillars: policy support, demand creation, R&D and enabling infrastructure.

The minister detailed progress since the mission’s launch, including the award of 23 projects in the first round of R&D proposals, covering safety and integration, biomass-based hydrogen production, hydrogen applications and non-biomass routes. Leading research institutes such as IITs, IISERs, CSIR laboratories and industry partners are carrying them forward. A second call for proposals, announced in July, remains open until September 15.

India has also begun deploying hydrogen at scale: the first port-based green hydrogen pilot project is underway at V.O. Chidambaranar Port in Tamil Nadu, while five steel sector pilots are testing hydrogen for decarbonization. Retrofitted vessels and fueling facilities are advancing in shipping, and hydrogen buses and fueling stations are already operational.

Officials highlighted enablers being put in place, from a Green Hydrogen Standard and Certification Scheme aligned with more than 140 international benchmarks to the sanctioning of new testing facilities and training of over 5,600 workers in hydrogen skills. Dedicated hydrogen hubs are being developed at Kandla, Paradip and Tuticorin ports to strengthen export competitiveness.

Large corporations such as NTPC, Reliance and Indian Oil, alongside startups and MSMEs, are investing heavily in hydrogen projects. The mission targets five million metric tonnes of annual green hydrogen production by 2030, backed by 125 gigawatts of new renewable capacity, Rs 8 lakh crore in investments, six lakh jobs and an annual reduction of 50 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.