SRINAGAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off India’s first hydrogen-powered train between Jind and Sonipat in Haryana, marking the country’s entry into clean hydrogen-powered rail transport and joining a select group of nations operating such trains.
🚄 Powered by clean energy and driven by innovation, Bharat’s first Hydrogen Train reflects the country’s commitment to sustainable mobility and world-class railway infrastructure. pic.twitter.com/jb0jWOPZuO
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) July 17, 2026
The Prime Minister also dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone for National Highway projects worth over Rs 12,470 crore in Haryana, including the 157-km Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway.
Addressing a gathering at Jind railway station, Modi described the launch as a milestone in the modernisation of Indian Railways and said the country’s first hydrogen-powered train had given Jind a special place in India’s history.
He said Indian Railways had undergone significant transformation over the past 12 years and asserted that the railways of the 21st century would be driven by hydrogen technology.
Prime Minister @narendramodi flags off India’s first Hydrogen train between Jind and Sonipat at Jind railway station#HydrogenTrain #भारत_की_पहली_हाइड्रोजन_ट्रेन @RailMinIndia
Watch: ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/j1lJCliqRs
— PIB India (@PIB_India) July 17, 2026
The hydrogen-powered train has commenced operations on the Jind-Sonipat route, covering around 90 kilometres, with plans for future expansion. Modi said only three to four countries currently operate hydrogen-powered trains and noted that India’s train, with a 3,200-horsepower engine, is among the most powerful and longest hydrogen-powered trains in the world.
The train has been designed, engineered and integrated in India using indigenous technology. It has an operational speed of 75 km/h on the Jind-Sonipat section and a design speed of 110 km/h. Configured as a 10-coach passenger train, it can accommodate around 2,600 passengers, significantly exceeding the capacity of most hydrogen passenger trains operating globally.
Powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology, the train generates electricity by converting hydrogen into energy, producing only water vapour as a by-product, resulting in zero carbon emissions during operation. It is equipped with multi-layer safety systems capable of detecting hydrogen leaks, heat, flames and smoke. A dedicated hydrogen facility has also been established at Jind to support safe and efficient operations.
Highlighting the road infrastructure projects, Modi dedicated the 157-km Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, part of the 667-km Delhi-Amritsar-Katra corridor. The expressway is expected to reduce travel time between Delhi and Katra from about 14 hours to six hours, and between Delhi and Amritsar from about eight hours to four hours.
Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw described the launch as a historic achievement in India’s technological advancement, saying it reflected the country’s commitment to developing indigenous hydrogen technology. He said the environment-friendly train requires neither diesel nor petrol and forms part of the government’s wider railway modernisation programme.
Vaishnaw also said the railway budget allocation for Haryana had increased from Rs 315 crore to around Rs 3,500 crore, while railway projects worth approximately Rs 18,000 crore are currently under implementation in the state.
Indian Railways is also exploring the use of hydrogen technology on heritage railway routes, including the Kalka-Shimla Railway, based on experience gained from the Jind-Sonipat hydrogen train project.
