India's delayed approval of hydrogen as a fuel: Implications and road ahead

While the country's work on hydrogen has trailed leaders, it could gather speed once the labelled buses roll around Delhi. Private sector firms too are starting to show interest

True to form, India has taken close to four years to approve plans to use hydrogen as a commercial fuel. On Monday, the ministry of road transport and highways allowed use of combined hydrogen and CNG (18 per cent mix of hydrogen) in automobiles. The first set of 50-odd DTC buses powered by this mix called Hythane shall hopefully begin their commercial trips soon. 

As usual, India was one of the first countries to begin research in the use of hydrogen as a clean fuel two decades ago. But as its own agencies kept on spiking a research programme by