India could become a green hydrogen exporter within five years, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Friday at the CII Partnership Summit in Visakhapatnam, Moneycontrol reported. Gadkari said a shift to alternative fuels could cut India’s reliance on fossil fuels and open new markets for farmers and manufacturers.
India’s green hydrogen export pipeline
Indian companies had signed supply contracts covering about 550,000 tonnes a year in green hydrogen equivalent by the end of October, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy said. More than 70% of that contracted volume is earmarked for export. The figures cover future deliveries and include hydrogen derivatives.
Japan is already among the prospective buyers. In July, India’s ACME Group secured long-term supply agreements with Japan’s IHI Corporation for green ammonia and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical for green methanol, the ministry said.
The National Green Hydrogen Mission targets at least 5 million tonnes of annual production capacity by 2030. In October, Gadkari said India could become a leading producer, pointing to alternative fuels and infrastructure as priorities for export competitiveness.
Gadkari defends ethanol blending
Gadkari also alleged that criticism of India’s ethanol blending programme was part of a paid campaign, Moneycontrol reported. The report cited no evidence for the allegation. It noted that motorists had raised questions about mileage and the compatibility of ethanol-blended petrol with older vehicles.
Gadkari pointed to flex-fuel technology as a way to use higher concentrations of ethanol and said Toyota was preparing an Innova capable of running on 100% bioethanol.
