Gadkari presided over the lecture delivered by ISA Director General Ashish Khanna. India targets 10% of global green hydrogen demand, expected to cross 100 million metric tonnes by 2030

New Delhi

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said India could emerge as a clean energy exporter if the cost of hydrogen drops from the current $5 to $1 per kilogram. Speaking at the 24th Darbari Seth Memorial Lecture hosted by TERI, he called solar energy the Sanjeevani Booti for the planet and hydrogen the fuel of the future. Sharing his belief in green mobility, he mentioned driving a Toyota Mirai, which in Japanese means future.

Gadkari stressed that India’s real growth depends on strengthening villages, as 80 percent of people are still linked to farming. He urged diversification of agriculture towards energy and power, greater water conservation, and use of technologies like AI for rural prosperity. Jal, jameen, and jungle must remain our pillars of development, he said, adding that ethics, economy, ecology, and environment must progress together to create jobs, reduce poverty, and build self-reliance.

The lecture was presided over by Gadkari and delivered by Ashish Khanna, Director General of the International Solar Alliance. India aims to secure 10 percent of the global green hydrogen demand, projected to exceed 100 million metric tonnes by 2030.

Minister of State for Power and Renewable Energy Shripad Naik said India has already made strong progress under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, with 862,000 tonnes per annum of production capacity awarded to 19 firms. Additionally, 3,000 MW of electrolyser manufacturing capacity has been granted to 15 companies, marking a big push for the country’s green hydrogen sector.