Hydrogen Industry Outlook 2026

 

• KAKINADA PROJECT WILL BE INDIA’S FIRST COMMERCIAL-SCALE GREEN AMMONIA & GREEN HYDROGEN FACILITY. AM Green has already secured a strong export-oriented offtake pipeline. This includes a binding offtake agreement with Uniper, Germany for upto 500 KTPA starting Q2 2028. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with RWE for approximately 300 KTPA is already in place. Further, 100 KTPA for BASF, 100 KTPA for Keppel, and a host of other players are in the offing.
• PANIPAT GREEN HYDROGEN UNIT ON TRACK FOR DECEMBER 2027 COMPLETION.
• VOC PORT TARGETS 2029 FOR FIRST PHASE OF GREEN HYDROGEN PRODUCTION.
• ELCOGEN AND THE CASE FOR SOLID OXIDE TECHNOLOGY IN INDIA’S HYDROGEN FUTURE.
• 2.4 KTPA GREEN HYDROGEN PLANT SET FOR Q2 FY 26-27 COMMISSIONING.
• GOPALPUR PROJECT FIRST PHASE ON TRACK FOR LATE 2028/EARLY 2029 COMMISSIONING.
• VIJAIPUR PLANT UTILIZES 10 MW PEM ELECTROLYSER TO PRODUCE 4.3 TPD OF HYDROGEN WITH 99.99% PURITY

Download report-https://www.indianchemicalnews.com/assets/img/H2IO-1.pdf

CII Industry–Academia Partnership Report December 2025

 

India stands at a pivotal moment in its journey toward
becoming a globally competitive, innovation-driven
economy. The country’s rapidly expanding STEM talent
base, rising research output and growing deep-tech
entrepreneurship reflect strong foundational momentum.
Yet, unlocking India’s full potential will require more than
incremental improvements—it demands coordinated
action, forward-looking reforms, and a deliberate shift toward a high-trust, high-productivity research and innovation ecosystem.

This report underscores the critical levers needed to accelerate that transition: strengthening institutional autonomy, unlocking flexible and diversified funding, and
embedding targeted incentives that reward quality, collaboration and translational impact. Equally essential are deeper industry–academia partnerships, globally
benchmarked governance models, and mission-driven research consortia that can mobilize talent and resources around national priorities. 

Report- https://cii-industryacademia.in/images/pdf/Final-CII-EYP-IAP-Report_2.12.25.pdf

 

Sample chapter -Top 100 Indian Innovations (2025)

Download Sample Chapter of Top 100 Indian Innovations (2025) 

Concept note on PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE DESIGNS ACT, 2000

 Key proposals for amendment to the Act, which are to be fleshed out further, are presented in broad outline in this concept note for the purpose of consultation with stakeholders with a view to receive their inputs on the core concepts.

1. Virtual Designs Protection

Last few years have seen rapid advancements in technology transforming the way consumers interact with products and services. Graphical user interfaces (“GUIs”), icons, animated characters, and immersive virtual environments are nowadays a core part of consumer experience across sectors like technology, fintech, gaming, e-commerce, healthcare, and digital services. These visual elements embody significant aesthetic value. Stakeholders have also advocated the ideas of providing protection to GUIs and other virtual designs under Designs Act, in consultations with DPIIT.

To address this gap, it is proposed to clarify and modernise the definitions of “design” and “article” to expressly enable protection of virtual designs, independent of any physical carrier. The definition of “design” may be expanded by broadening the scope as well as meaning of “industrial process” and by expressly including animation, movement, and transition, thereby clarifying that design protection extends beyond static visual features to dynamic visual effects that are central to contemporary digital and screen-based designs.

In parallel, the definition of “article” may be revised to expressly cover items in physical or non-physical form, including GUIs, icons, graphic symbols, typefaces, augmented reality graphical user interfaces, and other virtual products provided under Locarno classification, clarifying that a design may subsist regardless of whether it is embodied in a tangible object or materialises in a purely digital or virtual environment. These amendments would help explicitly decoupling design protection from the requirement of physical embodiment, enabling protection for designs in virtual, augmented, and immersive digital environments. Corresponding amendments can be considered to be made to other provisions of the Design Act, including the infringement related provision, to give effect to protection of virtual designs.

Download- https://www.dpiit.gov.in/static/uploads/2026/01/791a71ebde47d93b67560f7394be2fec.pdf

note on micro data centres prepared by people+ai, EkStep Foundation

 India is on the path to becoming a global leader in AI, but realising this vision requires a robust and scalable infrastructure. A distributed network of micro data centres (MDCs), designed to handle critical CPU and GPU workloads while occupying significantly less space and demanding lower upfront investments, represents the future of accessible, scalable, and cost-effective AI infrastructure in India.

This paper delves into the key components and requirements for establishing micro data centres, drawing on our research to define their scope and functionality. We categorise a micro data centre as one with a capacity of 25-300 kW, typically occupying around 800 to 3000 square feet. These data centres are crucial for expanding AI capabilities to the edge, enabling sustainable development through the integration of renewable energy. The flexible CPU-GPU ratio allows MDCs to scale efficiently, providing resilient and self-sufficient compute power necessary for India's growing AI use cases.

Currently, India hosts fewer than 10 micro data centres. Although MDCs lack a standardised definition or size, they are emerging as a critical segment in the hosting infrastructure landscape. Existing MDCs in India serve both domestic and international clients, but there is a pressing need to expand beyond mega data centres to include more micro facilities. The paper explores their use cases in sectors such as healthcare, banking, financial services, insurance (BFSI), and large-scale government operations. The increasing demand at the edge, driven by population growth in Tier II and Tier III cities and the rise of engineering universities focused on deep learning, highlights the importance of these centres.

The paper also examines the capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operational expenditure (OPEX) models associated with micro data centres. Our analysis suggests that building green MDCs can enhance cost-effectiveness, providing a compelling economic model. We predict that an investment of INR 60 crores in a MDC could yield a return of up to 3 times that of a larger data centre. Financing strategies and the potential impact on overall economic growth are also discussed.

Finally, we review the current policies in India that support the development and deployment of micro data centres. Major costs associated with software licenses and certifications (e.g., Uptime and TIA-942) need to be addressed through standardization and improved policy frameworks. Government initiatives, similar to the Udaan scheme, are necessary to foster the growth of smaller players in the MDC market.

This endeavour requires collaboration across various stakeholders, including compute users in both the private and public sectors, government ministries and states responsible for policy creation and enforcement, and investors. The concept of Open Cloud Compute suggests that if hundreds of smaller players can operate collectively like a large cloud provider, a network of micro players can function like a mega network, driving the next phase of AI infrastructure development in India.

Read the paper-https://docs.google.com/document/d/19dcYkBIV84u1JvCmxwy15nFzWEkx4KJ_3hwNyagvO-k/edit?pli=1&tab=t.0

https://youtu.be/-uqR8JA6GPk?si=BDyfpVwaivy0r28Z

Draft National Technology Readiness Level (TRL) Assessment Framework- India

 

The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India invites inputs and comments from the public, research institutions, industry stakeholders, and academia on the draft "National Technology Readiness Level (TRL) Assessment Framework."

As India’s R&D ecosystem expands through initiatives like the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), there is a critical need for a unified, transparent, and data-driven standard to measure technology maturity. Currently, various organizations use modified versions of TRL definitions, leading to inconsistencies in assessing research translation.

To address this, a comprehensive TRL Assessment Tool and Framework has been developed in consultation with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and a multidisciplinary team of experts from industry, academia, and research labs.

The TRA process needs to be integrated with the process of funded research between the funding organization and research institute. In absence of comprehensive information of the existing processes, we are recommending some generic guidelines which can be tuned based on the specific processes for a specific organization. Typically, when a project is funded, there is an initial TRL and the final desired TRL for the project which is documented along with the project proposal. Subsequently, the project goes through intermittent time based (e.g. quarterly, or half yearly) or toll gate based (T1, T2, etc.) reviews. Either way, the project plan is well documented in terms of requirements of progress within a specific period of time / specific tollgate. To be able to adhere to and accurately measure TRL progression, we propose that the TRL progression timeline should also be proposed at the time of project proposal and approved during fund approval along with project plan. There is no specific guideline on how long movement from TRLn to TRL(n+1) should take, as that depends on multiple factors like funding level, technology domain, project plan, etc. – however, the plan should be laid out and followed from then on. During the subsequent reviews, we propose that the TRL progression should be one of the review parameters, along with other technical and financial reviews.

Draft here:

 https://psa.gov.in/CMS/web/sites/default/files/publication/National%20Technology%20Readiness%20Assessment%20Framework_Final.pdf

Sea Cage farming India

 

Sea cage culture involves growing fishes in the sea while being enclosed in a net cage which allows free flow of water. It is a production system comprising of a floating frame of varying dimensions and shape, net materials and mooring system, to hold and culture a large number of fishes.

Advantages of Sea Cage Farming

• 
  Cage farming can be undertaken in open seas, sheltered bays or lagoons having suitable water quality and with prior permission from concerned government authorities. Thus, the vast unutilized areas in the sea can be brought under mariculture practices.
• Production per unit (m³) in cage culture is 50 times more than shore based systems.
• Recurring expenditure associated with development and maintenance of infrastructure are lower in cage farming compared to shore based farming practices.
• Stock monitoring is simple in cage farming, facilitating regular observation of behavior, feeding and growth that are critical in avoiding problems related to stress and disease outbreak.
• Harvesting is easy and can be planned as per the demand, offering better quality product at higher price.

Quality of fish seed is of vital importance for the success of grow-out culture in cages. Uniform size seeds appropriate for the mesh size of the fish net cage should be stocked to prevent their escape. This will also help in selecting the correct sized feed for fishes, avoid wastage of feed and reduce cannibalism. Seeds should be healthy, free from diseases and deformities.

The most vital issue for the expansion of the sea cage farming in India is the shortage of fish seeds. Presently seed of Cobia, Pompano, Seabass and Groupers are being produced in a few hatcheries in the country. Apart from these species, seeds of fishes like Mullets, Snappers, Milkfish, etc. collected from the wild can also be used for cage farming. To meet the growing demand from farmers, there is an urgent need to produce sufficient quantity of seed either through commercial hatchery production or by importing till we achieve self-sufficiency in seed production.

List of Marine Fish Hatcheries

• CMFRI, Mandapam, Tamil Nadu  - Cobia, Pompano
• CMFRI, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh - Grouper, Pompano
• RGCA (MPEDA), Pozhiyoor, Kerala - Seabass, Cobia, Pompano
• CIBA, Chennai, Tamil Nadu - Seabass  

 Document-https://en.vikaspedia.in/viewcontent/agriculture/fisheries/marine-fisheries/culture-fisheries/guidelines-for-sea-cage-farming-in-india#section4

Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG) Progress report

 

The Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG) was conceptualized in 2003-04 by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (OPSA) to the Government of India and formally established in 2004. RuTAG functions as a demand-driven mechanism with a focus on identifying grass-root needs through field-level engagement, and on the development and dissemination of appropriate technologies that are locally relevant, affordable, and sustainable.

The Fine Madurkathi grass mat weaving sector faces persistent issues of low productivity, physical strain, and limited design flexibility due to manual weaving practices. To address these challenges, RuTAG IIT Madras is developing an Electronic Jacquard Handloom (EJH) - a semi-automated, ergonomically designed loom that enables digital pattern control and improved working posture to support traditional weavers, ensuring sustainable and inclusive growth in the craft sector.

Manual planting of rhizomes such as ginger and turmeric is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and prone to uneven spacing, affecting crop yield and overall productivity. RuTAG IIT Guwahati is developing a compact, low-cost rhizome planter suited for small and hilly farms of the northeastern region. Designed for power tiller or power weeder operation, the machine aims to improve planting uniformity, reduce drudgery, and increase mechanization among small and marginal farmers.

Pottery clusters in Rajasthan, particularly Poonchhari village near Bharatpur, rely on traditional manual methods for producing earthen tawas (griddles). Artisans shape and sun-dry the tawas before firing them using layers of mustard husk and dung cakes- a slow and physically demanding process. The Manual Press for Earthen Tawa Making, developed by RuTAG IIT Delhi, aims to assist these artisans by enabling uniform shaping, improving productivity, and enhancing the quality of the finished tawas.

Millets such as finger millet, foxtail millet, and barnyard millet are staple crops among small and marginal farmers in India, especially in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. However, traditional de-husking practices using hand tools like Okhli are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and yield inconsistent quality. To address these challenges, RuTAG IIT Roorkee has designed and developed a low-cost, compact multi-millet de-husking machine aimed at improving efficiency, reducing drudgery, and enhancing the livelihood of rural millet growers and processors.
The Solar Hydro Distiller (SHD) developed by RuTAG IIT Bombay is an innovative solar-thermal technology designed to convert perishable agricultural and floral waste into valuable natural products such as rose water and herbal hydrosols. 

From NAARM-The ColdEasy system is an affordable, energyefficient cold storage solution designed to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables in rural and semiurban areas. It converts any regular room into a cold room, ensuring better preservation, reduced wastage, and enhanced farmer income while consuming minimal power.

Report-https://psa.gov.in/CMS/web/sites/default/files/publication/RuTAG%20Annual%20Progress%20Report_2024-25.pdf