Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi on Wednesday, 17 June 2026, chaired a high-level workshop titled 'Strengthening the National Green Hydrogen Mission: State Policies, Hubs and Infrastructure,' bringing together representatives from state governments, industry, and key stakeholders. The event was held as part of celebrations marking 12 years of the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre.

Context

The workshop, convened by Minister Joshi, focused on the critical role state governments must play in translating national-level green hydrogen ambitions into on-the-ground projects and investments. Joshi underscored that the workshop 'highlighted the critical role of States in translating policy into projects, investment into industry, and ambition into action.' Two major announcements emerged from the event: the approval of the first batch of startups under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) and the launch of a dedicated digital certification platform.

Policy Backdrop

The National Green Hydrogen Mission was approved by the Union Cabinet in January 2023 with a total outlay of ₹19,744 crore, aimed at scaling domestic green hydrogen production to five million tonnes annually by 2030. The mission is a cornerstone of India's net-zero 2070 commitment and its Panchamrit climate pledges made at COP26. Among its components is a ₹100 crore startup support programme designed to seed early-stage innovation in the green hydrogen value chain.

At the workshop, Minister Joshi announced the approval of the first batch of nine startups under NGHM, with combined support of ₹22 crore sanctioned under this programme. Separately, he launched the Green Hydrogen Certification Portal, described as a single digital platform to manage the entire certification process for green hydrogen producers and consumers — covering issuance, tracking, and verification of certificates.

Stakeholders and Impact

State governments are increasingly central to the mission's implementation strategy, with the Centre pushing for designated green hydrogen hubs and viability-gap funding to attract private investment. The presence of industry representatives at the workshop signals the government's intent to align regulatory and financial frameworks with commercial realities. For startups, the ₹22 crore first-tranche approval marks a concrete early step in operationalising the mission's innovation pipeline.

The Green Hydrogen Certification Portal addresses a longstanding gap: the absence of a standardised, digitally managed system to authenticate green hydrogen credentials. Such certification infrastructure is considered essential for India to participate in emerging global green hydrogen trade corridors, particularly with the European Union, which has mandated strict origin and emissions traceability for hydrogen imports.

What's Next

Attention will now shift to the roll-out of the remaining tranches under the ₹100 crore startup programme and to the selection of the first green hydrogen hubs by state governments. The certification portal's adoption by producers and off-takers will be a key early indicator of implementation readiness. With state-level policy frameworks still evolving, the Centre's push for hub-based infrastructure could accelerate investment clustering in states with strong renewable energy bases such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh.