India launches first indigenously built hydrogen fuel-cell vessel in Varanasi

India marked a major step in clean inland water transport on Thursday with the launch of its first indigenously developed hydrogen fuel-cell vessel in Varanasi. Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal flagged off the vessel at Namo Ghat, formally commencing its commercial operations.

Describing the launch as a landmark moment, Sonowal said the hydrogen-powered craft underscores India’s advancing technological capabilities and its commitment to sustainable and homegrown solutions. He noted that with this development, India joins a select group of countries—including China, Norway, the Netherlands and Japan—that have operational hydrogen-powered vessels.

“This achievement reflects our readiness for future technologies and our steady transition towards green energy,” the minister said, adding that the progress has been driven by the Prime Minister’s focus on sustainability and rapid infrastructure development. He also highlighted the growing role of inland waterways in India’s overall transport and logistics framework.

Several Union and state ministers and local representatives attended the event in Varanasi, which is also Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency.

Sonowal said hydrogen propulsion, while still evolving, offers significant promise as a near-zero-emission energy source and represents an important pillar of India’s clean mobility strategy. Ongoing research and testing, he added, will help scale the technology for wider commercial use.

Highlighting broader sectoral growth, the minister said the number of national waterways has expanded from just five a decade ago to 111 today. Cargo movement on inland waterways has increased from around 80 million tonnes in 2014 to more than 145 million tonnes, while tourism services are now active across 13 waterways.

He credited the Jal Marg Vikas Project for laying the groundwork for this transformation, particularly through the development of a modern navigation corridor on National Waterway-1 between Haldia and Varanasi, supported by multimodal terminals, upgraded navigation systems and community jetties.

In Uttar Pradesh alone, projects worth over Rs 300 crore have already been completed for inland waterway development, with additional schemes estimated at around Rs 2,200 crore planned in the coming years.

An official statement said the hydrogen vessel initiative forms part of a broader modernisation drive of inland waterways led by the central government and the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI). Measures such as expanding navigable channels, commissioning modern terminals, and introducing new passenger and cargo services are aimed at promoting cleaner transport, improving connectivity and lowering logistics costs.

These initiatives are aligned with national roadmaps including the Maritime India Vision 2030 and the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, which envisage greener fuels, smarter infrastructure and a greater role for inland waterways in India’s long-term development strategy.