LUCKNOW, July 17 — The Research, Design & Standards Organisation, or RDSO, has built India’s first hydrogen train entirely in-house. Based in Lucknow, RDSO is the research and development arm of Indian Railways, responsible for rolling stock design, standards, and testing. The hydrogen train project is a flagship example of the Atmanirbhar Bharat policy — the government’s push for self-reliance in manufacturing and technology.
The train runs on a 1,200 kW hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system. The science behind it is straightforward: hydrogen stored onboard reacts with oxygen in a fuel cell to produce electricity, which drives the train’s motors. The only exhaust is water vapour. RDSO developed the onboard hydrogen storage and the refuelling infrastructure alongside the propulsion system. Everything was done indigenously, meaning no foreign technology partners were involved.
How it works
RDSO’s engineers had to integrate this advanced propulsion system with existing railway infrastructure. That meant making sure the hydrogen fuel cell, storage tanks, and power electronics could all fit within the space and weight constraints of a standard Indian railway coach. The train can operate safely at a maximum speed of 75 kmph, with a design speed of 110 kmph. Intriguingly, the lower operating speed is typical for hydrogen trains on non-electrified routes, where they replace diesel locomotives.
The project is a direct response to the Atmanirbhar Bharat policy, which aims to reduce dependence on foreign technology and promote domestic manufacturing. RDSO is the sole designer and developer of the train, meaning no other Indian organisation was involved in the core engineering. That is a significant shift for Indian Railways, which has historically relied on foreign partnerships for advanced rolling stock.
What researchers found
What researchers at RDSO found during development was that the integration challenge was as much about safety as performance. Hydrogen is highly flammable, so the onboard storage system had to meet rigorous standards for leak prevention and crashworthiness. The refuelling infrastructure also had to be designed from scratch, as India had no existing network for hydrogen refuelling of trains.
The project is still in its testing phase. RDSO has not announced a date for commercial deployment. The next step will likely involve extended trials on non-electrified routes, where the hydrogen train’s zero-emission operation offers a clear advantage over diesel. For now, RDSO has demonstrated that Indian Railways can design and build a hydrogen train without outside help — a fact that carries weight under the current policy direction.
