A high-level India–UK conference on green hydrogen standards and safety protocols was held on 27 February 2026 in New Delhi, bringing together experts from government, industry, academia, standards organisations, testing institutions, research bodies, and regulatory agencies. The event aimed to strengthen bilateral cooperation on the safe deployment of green hydrogen under India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission.
The conference was organised by the National Centre for Hydrogen Safety (NCHS), set up under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to support the mission. It was conducted in collaboration with the British High Commission in India and World Resources Institute India (WRI India). Discussions focused on regulatory frameworks, international standards, and safety protocols across the hydrogen value chain, including production, storage, transportation, and end-use.
Inaugural Session Highlights
The event opened with context-setting remarks from Mohammad Rihan, Director General of the National Institute of Solar Energy. Special addresses were delivered by Abhay Bakre, Mission Director of the National Green Hydrogen Mission at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy; Jinoos Shariati, First Secretary (Trade) at the British High Commission in India; Anjan Kumar Mishra, Secretary of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board; and Laura Aylett, First Secretary (Climate & Energy) at the British High Commission.
Delivering the keynote address, Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary at the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, highlighted the need for strong safety frameworks, robust standards development, and international cooperation to support the large-scale adoption of green hydrogen technologies.
Regulators Discuss Safety and Standards
National regulators responsible for hydrogen safety and standards also participated in the conference. The Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) shared insights on regulatory approaches related to safety compliance, risk assessment, and hazard management in hydrogen systems.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) discussed the evolving standards framework and efforts to align India’s hydrogen standards with global best practices.
Technical Sessions and Industry Participation
Experts from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, NTPC Limited, the Automotive Research Association of India, Cochin Shipyard Limited, Arup, CSIR-National Metallurgical Laboratory, Cochin University of Science and Technology, and Indian Institute of Technology Madras were all at the technical sessions.
Speakers discussed safety practices across hydrogen applications, including the safe design and operation of hydrogen production facilities, storage and transport systems, and end-use technologies. Sessions also explored risk assessment methods, incident case studies, and emerging innovations such as advanced sensors and AI-enabled monitoring systems to improve hydrogen safety.
Strengthening India–UK Collaboration
At the end of the conference, India and the UK agreed to work together more closely on developing standards, building regulatory capacity, and making safety frameworks stronger. The talks are meant to help the National Green Hydrogen Mission’s ongoing work to create a strong safety ecosystem and speed up the growth of a green hydrogen sector in India that is both reliable and competitive on the world stage.
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