India launched its first hydrogen-powered train on Friday, joining a small group of nations testing the technology as part of efforts to decarbonise rail transport and cut dependence on fossil fuels.

The project is part of a broader push to modernise one of the world’s largest rail networks while reducing carbon emissions.

The 10-coach train runs along an 89-kilometre route between Jind and Sonipat in India’s northern state of Haryana, powered by a 1,200-kilowatt hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system.

Officials described the system as the world’s most powerful for a train.

Hydrogen trains use fuel cells to generate electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen, emitting only water and steam.

“This is a very significant day in the direction of self-reliant India and sustainable development,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who flagged off the inaugural journey, said in a social media post.

The railway ministry said the train was “developed entirely in India”, although senior officials told reporters that some key components, including the fuel cells, were imported.

The ministry also inaugurated what it described as the country’s largest railway hydrogen storage and refuelling facility in Jind, with a capacity of some 3,000 kilogrammes, to “support hydrogen-powered train operations”.

The pilot project cost around $12 million, according to a senior railway official who acknowledged it was significantly more expensive than a comparable conventional service.

However, he said costs were expected to fall as the technology matures.

With the launch, India joins countries such as Germany, Japan, China and the United States that are testing or operating hydrogen-powered trains.

India’s railways have undergone a major transformation since the first passenger steam train puffed out in 1853 from Mumbai.

In recent years, New Delhi has pumped billions of dollars in investment aimed at upgrading infrastructure, improving safety and expanding capacity.

The vast network carried 7.41bn passengers and 1.67bn tonnes of freight last year, official data shows.

India has also introduced its domestically designed Vande Bharat trains, which can reach speeds of up to 180 kilometres per hour.

At the same time, the country is building its first high-speed rail line using Japanese Shinkansen technology.

Officials expect the bullet train, designed to operate at up to 320 kph, to begin service on its first section in 2027.