India Secures World's Largest Green Hydrogen Offtake Commitments Of 5.5 Lakh Tonnes Annually: Pralhad Joshi

India has secured what the government describes as the world's largest cumulative volume of green hydrogen offtake commitments, with 23 agreements covering more than 5.5 lakh metric tonnes annually.

Union New and Renewable Energy Minister Pralhad Joshi announced the development on Oct 29, saying over 70% of the contracted volumes were intended for export.

The agreements carry an estimated investment potential of Rs90,000 crore, approximately $9.5 billion.

In a post on X, Joshi attributed the achievement to the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM), launched in January 2023.

According to the government, India's contracted green hydrogen volumes were the highest globally as of October 2026.

The agreements represent commitments by buyers to purchase future supplies, offering producers greater certainty about demand and supporting investment decisions.

However, the contracted volume does not represent actual hydrogen production.

Green hydrogen is manufactured through electrolysis, which uses renewable electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.

The fuel can help reduce emissions in industries where replacing fossil fuels remains difficult, including steel, fertilisers, petroleum refining and shipping.

The latest agreements indicate growing commercial interest in India's emerging hydrogen industry, particularly from international markets.

Approved with an initial allocation of Rs19,744 crore, the NGHM aims to establish India as a major producer, consumer and exporter of green hydrogen and its derivatives.

The mission targets annual production capacity of at least 5 million metric tonnes by 2030.

It is also expected to attract investments exceeding Rs8 lakh crore and generate more than six lakh jobs.

Other projected benefits include adding approximately 125 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity and reducing annual carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 50 million tonnes.

The programme provides incentives for domestic electrolyser manufacturing and hydrogen production, alongside research, pilot projects and infrastructure development.

The government expects these initiatives to strengthen India's clean energy ecosystem while reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels.

The offtake commitments represent an important commercial milestone, although their conversion into actual production and exports will depend on project execution.

Published on: Thursday, October 29, 2026, 05:57 PM IST