MENU

India Launches Nation’s First Domestically-Built Hydrogen-Powered Train, ‘NaMo Green Rail,’ to Accelerate Railway Decarbonization Towards 2070 Net-Zero Goal

The Washington Post India
Overview
India has commenced operations of its first domestically designed and manufactured hydrogen-powered train, the ‘NaMo Green Rail,’ trialing on a route in Haryana. Capable of speeds up to 75 km/h and transporting 2,600 passengers, this initiative is a crucial part of India’s efforts to expand clean energy use across its vast railway network and achieve its net-zero emissions target by 2070. The pilot project includes the development of essential hydrogen storage and refueling infrastructure.
In Depth

Key Findings

India has officially launched its first hydrogen-powered train, the ‘NaMo Green Rail,’ which was entirely designed and manufactured within the country. This groundbreaking locomotive represents a significant step towards expanding clean energy utilization across India’s extensive railway network and achieving its ambitious net-zero emissions target by 2070.

Technical Details

The ‘NaMo Green Rail’ has been introduced as a pilot project operating on a dedicated route in Haryana state. The train is capable of reaching a maximum speed of 75 km/h and can transport up to 2,600 passengers. It is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell system, ensuring environmentally friendly operation with zero tailpipe emissions. The project also encompasses the development of necessary hydrogen storage facilities and refueling infrastructure, aiming to address operational challenges for future large-scale deployment.

Background and Industry Context

India’s railway network is one of the largest in the world and is a significant consumer of diesel fuel. Therefore, decarbonizing the railway sector is paramount to the nation’s overall climate change mitigation efforts. While other countries are also developing and deploying hydrogen-powered trains, India’s initiative to introduce a domestically designed and manufactured train emphasizes its indigenous technological capability and self-reliance. This effort is also expected to enhance energy security.

Strategic Significance and Outlook

The success of the ‘NaMo Green Rail’ could pave the way for broader deployment of hydrogen-powered trains across the entire Indian railway system. The government plans to continue research and development to further advance this technology and adapt it for diverse routes nationwide. The insights gained from this pilot project will be invaluable for building large-scale hydrogen infrastructure and for the future standardization of railway rolling stock. In the long term, this aims to enable India to achieve a cleaner, more sustainable transportation system and contribute to global climate action.

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/07/17/india-hydrogen-train-rail-haryana-clean-energy/8973a4fa-81b2-11f1-8a16-393bd03340b0_story.html

Get our weekly technology intelligence — free

Receive an infographic that lets you judge at a glance whether each field’s analysis report is worth reading.

Subscribe Free — Weekly Tech Intelligence

By subscribing, you’ll receive Troy-Technical’s weekly technology intelligence newsletter.

  • Your email and selected fields are used only to deliver the newsletter.
  • We never share your information with third parties.
  • You can unsubscribe anytime via the link in each email.

See our Privacy Policy for details.

Takes about a minute · Unsubscribe anytime

Let's share this post !

Author of this article

Comments

To comment

TOC