Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw has expressed high praise for India’s domestically manufactured hydrogen-powered train engine, describing it as a landmark achievement in the country’s rail and engineering sectors.

The hydrogen-fuelled train engine developed by Indian Railways produces the highest horsepower of any engine developed by any country in the world.

This state-of-the-art train engine is a testament to India’s advancing technological capabilities and a significant step toward sustainable transportation. "This remarkable success in using indigenous technology inspires India to reach the top among major economies in using green energy for development," at a panel discussion on the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav stated.

"Only four countries in the world have hydrogen-powered trains, which produce 500 to 600 horsepower. The engine we have produced has a power output of 1,200 horsepower, which is the highest in this category so far," he said while addressing a plenary session on "Green Connectivity: Contribution of Diaspora to Sustainable Development" at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrations in Odisha.

The first train is anticipated for a trial run on the Jind-Sonepat route in Haryana shortly. The engine manufacturing is finished, and its system integration is currently underway. The hydrogen-powered rail engine is made in India and developed using indigenous talent. These technological breakthroughs can allow India to create spin-off products and services.

"When we can manufacture hydrogen-powered train engines on such a large scale, consider the possibility of using this technology to make power trains for trucks, tugboats and more. Indigenously developed technology provides a unique opportunity to create derivative technologies for various applications," he said.

Hambirajen Narsinghe, Junior Minister of Foreign Affairs, Government of Mauritius, who participated in the panel discussion, highlighted the challenges of climate change in his country and sought India's assistance in providing green technology solutions.

Other eminent personalities who participated in the plenary session included Hambirajen Narsinghe, Junior Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Government of the Republic of Mauritius, Rahul Fotedar, Founder and CTO, Moro Battery, Norway, Jagadish Nainwal, CEO, UPL for LATAM, Mexico, Indronil Sengupta, Aditya Yelepeddi, Swiss Biotech Association, Switzerland, Jitendra Krishna Sachdev, Group President, Skipersil Limited, Nigeria, Kishore Reddy, and Anju Birmani.