India–UK strengthen Cooperation on Green Hydrogen Safety

Policymakers, industry leaders and technical experts from India and the United Kingdom convened in New Delhi to discuss safety standards and regulatory frameworks for green hydrogen, as both countries look to expand cooperation in the emerging clean energy sector.
The India–UK Conference on Green Hydrogen Standards and Safety Protocols, held on February 27, brought together representatives from government agencies, industry, academia, standards bodies and research institutions. The discussions focused on developing robust standards and safety practices across the hydrogen value chain, including production, storage, transportation and end-use applications.
The conference was organised by the National Centre for Hydrogen Safety under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, in collaboration with the British High Commission in India and World Resources Institute India. The event aimed to support the implementation of National Green Hydrogen Mission, which seeks to position India as a global hub for green hydrogen production and export.
Delivering the keynote address, Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary in the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, emphasised the need for strong safety frameworks, standardisation and international collaboration to enable the large-scale deployment of hydrogen technologies.
Regulatory perspectives were shared by officials from the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation, who outlined key considerations related to compliance, hazard management and risk assessment for hydrogen systems. Representatives from the Bureau of Indian Standards also discussed ongoing efforts to align Indian hydrogen standards with international best practices.
Technical sessions featured insights from experts representing organisations such as NTPC Limited, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, the Automotive Research Association of India, Cochin Shipyard Limited, the CSIR-National Metallurgical Laboratory, Cochin University of Science and Technology and Indian Institute of Technology Madras.
Experts discussed safety practices throughout the hydrogen ecosystem, including system design, storage and transportation safety, and risk assessment methodologies. Emerging technologies such as advanced sensors and AI-based monitoring systems were also highlighted as tools to improve hydrogen safety management.
The conference concluded with both countries reaffirming their commitment to strengthening collaboration on standards development, regulatory capacity building and safety frameworks to support the safe and large-scale deployment of green hydrogen technologies.