India expects to begin exporting green hydrogen and related fuels from 2028–29, according to Abhay Bakre, Mission Director of the National Green Hydrogen Mission. At a clean energy conference in New Delhi on September 24, former German Green Hydrogen Commissioner Dr Stefan Kaufmann also pointed to opportunities for India and Germany to work together on production, manufacturing and exports. Both spoke to ANI on the sidelines of the conference.
India’s export plans
Bakre said India is working towards annual green hydrogen production capacity of five million metric tonnes by 2030. He expects exports to account for a substantial share of production, alongside growing domestic use in sectors including refineries, steel and mobility. Green ammonia and methanol could also serve fertiliser and shipping markets.
The 2028–29 date is a projected start for exports, rather than an announcement that export contracts or shipments have been finalised. India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission, launched in 2023, sets out the wider framework for expanding production, electrolyser manufacturing and domestic demand.
Where Germany could fit in
Dr Kaufmann told ANI that India is becoming an important potential producer of green hydrogen and its derivatives for European markets. He identified electrolyser manufacturing as a particular area for cooperation: German companies have technology in the field, while manufacturing in India could help reduce costs. He also saw opportunities for Germany and Europe to purchase green fuels produced in India.
In his separate ANI interview, Dr Kaufmann argued that bringing down technology costs will be essential if green hydrogen is to compete more widely with fossil fuel-based hydrogen. He cited India’s manufacturing capacity and renewable energy development as reasons for closer cooperation with Germany. These are Dr Kaufmann’s assessments, rather than confirmed outcomes of specific bilateral projects.
A bilateral framework already in place
India and Germany established a Green Hydrogen Task Force in 2022 and signed a declaration extending it in July 2024. That framework gives the two countries a basis for discussing the practical questions raised by the latest export plans: production costs, equipment manufacturing and routes to European buyers.
The immediate test will be whether planned Indian capacity and potential German demand translate into viable production and purchase agreements. For India, the opportunity extends beyond exports to building a domestic green fuels industry. For Germany, it offers a possible supply relationship alongside cooperation in the technologies needed to make those fuels competitive.
