India Hydrogen Alliance (IH2A) has broadened its coalition by welcoming six new members, enhancing its efforts to develop the hydrogen ecosystem in India.
Sumitomo Corporation India, Worley Limited, Jindal Renewable Power, HPCL-Mittal Energy Limited (HMEL), law firm Trilegal and Cochin Shipyard Limited have joined the 26-member strong alliance.
Now including 16 industry members and 10 partner organisations, IH2A membership spans the global and Indian hydrogen value chain, working with central and state government agencies to advance India’s hydrogen economy.
This expansion follows IH2A’s recent submission of key reports to the Government of India, including the $5bn National Green Hydrogen Hub Economic Viability and Development Plan and the $50bn Hydrogen Equipment and Exports Potential Report.
These reports aim to support the government’s ambitions for large-scale green hydrogen projects, with IH2A actively collaborating with state governments to foster private-sector partnerships.
Deepu Surendran, Chief General Manager at Cochin Shipyard Limited, spoke on the alignment of this membership with India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission. “As India’s leading shipbuilder, Cochin Shipyard has been undertaking several projects to identify emission-free transport solutions. In line with [the] government of India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission, we developed and recently inaugurated India’s first fully indigenous hydrogen fuel cell catamaran ferry vessel,” said Surendran.
He expressed confidence in IH2A’s role as a platform that unites stakeholders globally, adding, “Through this association, we are keen to work together and identify projects that provide impetus for use of hydrogen to decarbonise marine transport.”
Amrit Singh Deo, IH2A Secretariat lead, highlighted the strategic contributions of the new members, stating, “The new members bring specialist expertise that will help develop the hydrogen economy. Sumitomo, HPCL-Mittal Energy and Jindal Renewable Power can decisively shape the hydrogen eco-system as potential offtake entities in the future. Cochin Shipyard is working on hydrogen-powered vessels.”
“Trilegal and Worley bring technical and contracting capabilities that will become important as we see more long-term offtake contracts being signed and projects move to Final Investment Decision (FID) stage.”
India’s green hydrogen ambitions
India is rapidly advancing its green hydrogen ambitions, investing heavily in production and infrastructure.
The government’s National Green Hydrogen Mission, launched with an initial outlay of $2.3bn, targets producing five million metric tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030. According to India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, this initiative aims to bring production costs down to around $1-2 per kilogram.
India is also establishing multiple Green Hydrogen Hubs across states like Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan, aiming to attract private investment and accelerate project deployment. According to reports, state governments are offering incentives, including land and infrastructure support, to draw companies into these hubs.
Indian companies like Reliance Industries and Adani Group are committing billions to green hydrogen projects. Reliance has announced plans to produce hydrogen at less than $1 per kilogram by 2030, a benchmark that could reshape global pricing.
However, India’s green hydrogen sector faces challenges such as high production costs, limited infrastructure and reliance on imported electrolysers and critical materials.
According to a report by the UK India Business Council, industry leaders believe that a green hydrogen purchase obligation is essential to jumpstart the nascent domestic green hydrogen industry in India. A study published in Environmental Science and Pollution Research highlights the necessity of clear regulatory frameworks, infrastructure development and financing to support the deployment of a green hydrogen economy in India.
