India is on the verge of launching its first hydrogen train, with Indian Railways enlisting Germany's TUV-SUD to carry out a third-party safety audit for the train. Officials familiar with the project expect that trial runs will begin in December 2024.

Once this initiative is realized, India will become the fifth country globally to operate hydrogen-powered trains, joining the ranks of Germany, France, Sweden, and China.

In addition, five Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Based Tower Cars (maintenance vehicles) are under development, with each unit estimated to cost around Rs 100 million.

Indian Railways plans to operate 35 trains under the Hydrogen for Heritage initiative, with an estimated cost of Rs 800 million per train, along with an additional Rs 700 million investment in ground infrastructure per route for various heritage or hilly routes.

The official further stated that the System Integration Unit battery and two fuel unit synchronization tests have been successfully completed. A pilot project is also in progress to retrofit a Hydrogen Fuel Cell onto an existing Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) rake, alongside the required ground infrastructure.

This train is expected to operate on the Jind-Sonipat section of Northern Railway. The official noted that the integration of the prototype train is planned at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai.

The hydrogen for the train in Haryana will be supplied by a 1-megawatt (MW) Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) electrolyser, which is being installed in Jind. GreenH Electrolysis announced that this electrolyser will operate continuously, producing approximately 430 kg of hydrogen per day.