India is a key part of global transition to self-reliant hydrogen economy: Jitendra Singh

New Delhi, Nov 12 (IANS) India today is a key part of the global transition to a self-reliant hydrogen economy, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, said on Wednesday.

While addressing the 3rd International Conference on Green Hydrogen (ICGH-2025), the Minister underscored that clean energy is no longer a matter of environmental choice, but an “economic, technological, and strategic imperative” for the nation’s growth.

Dr Singh said that India’s clean energy transformation is being driven by a collaborative model bringing together government, industry, and academia to build sustainable solutions for the future.

“India will not merely adopt clean technologies — we will invent them, lead them, and ignite the world with our vision and grit,” he stated, calling the hydrogen economy a key pillar of India’s energy security and industrial competitiveness.

Highlighting key initiatives, Dr Jitendra Singh announced that four Hydrogen Valleys are being developed across the country to demonstrate the full hydrogen value chain — from production and storage to transport and utilisation — with a total investment of Rs 485 crore. Of this, Rs 169.89 crore has been allocated under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM), while Rs 315.43 crore will come from industry and consortium partners.

These Hydrogen Valley Innovation Clusters (HVICs), conceptualised by DST and now integrated under MNRE’s NGHM, are designed to showcase India’s first large-scale hydrogen demonstration projects and serve as living laboratories for innovation, standardisation, and policy development, said the Minister.

The Minister also drew attention to the recently launched Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 3, 2025, describing it as a “historic step to bridge discovery and deployment.”

With a corpus of Rs 1 lakh crore and an allocation of Rs 20,000 crore for the Department of Science and Technology, the scheme aims to strengthen deep-tech and clean energy innovation while encouraging active participation from startups and industry.

The Union minister said the initiative represents a shift from government-driven funding to a more collaborative, sustainable model that ensures long-term scientific and economic resilience.

Dr Singh highlighted the establishment of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) as a landmark reform to integrate academia, industry, and government under one mission-oriented framework. The Foundation, he said, will align India’s scientific capabilities with national priorities in clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and sustainability.

Citing the Mission for Advancement in High-Impact Areas – Electric Vehicle (MAHA–EV), Dr Singh noted that the initiative reflects India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat spirit by promoting indigenous innovation in electric mobility and hydrogen fuel technologies.

--IANS

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