India and Germany deepen joint green hydrogen and AI partnership

India has agreed to conduct a joint H2Global green hydrogen auction with Germany, with similar agreements expected to be signed with the Netherlands and Japan in the coming months, according to Sanjay Sharma, director of the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), at the Bharat Green Hydrogen Summit in New Delhi. The arrangement will allow Indian producers to sell green hydrogen derivatives through an international auction mechanism backed by long‑term, government‑supported purchase contracts, improving market access and supporting exports to major hydrogen‑importing economies. SECI also highlighted a domestic tender for 500,000 tonnes per year of green‑hydrogen‑based methanol, slated for finalisation within two months, as part of the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) programme.

Indo‑German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC) director Jan Noether said deeper collaboration between India and Germany could unlock significant opportunities in research and development, artificial intelligence and green hydrogen. He cited a recent startup competition in Bengaluru involving around 90 companies and noted that AI is a key focus within the German Global Capability Center ecosystem. Noether emphasized that Germany’s growing demand for clean energy makes India a strong partner for supplying competitively produced green hydrogen.