In a major stride towards sustainable maritime mobility and green energy innovation, Union Minister of Science & Technology and Vice President of CSIR, Dr. Jitendra Singh, hailed the successful development of India’s first indigenously designed hydrogen fuel cell sea vessel. Developed through a collaborative effort between Cochin Shipyard Ltd and KPIT Technologies, the inland waterway vessel features a hydrogen fuel cell drivetrain based on foundational R&D by CSIR and its labs.
Unveiled under the Harit Nauka initiative and launched in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the vessel is a major milestone for India’s green hydrogen ecosystem and aims to catalyse similar deployments across larger shipping vessels. It marks a tangible output of CSIR’s translational science goals under the New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI), the country’s largest publicly funded industry-oriented R&D programme.
Fuel Cell and Spectrometer Innovations Signal Self-Reliant Future
At a review meeting held with CSIR’s directorate, Dr. Singh underscored the significance of CSIR’s fuel cell research which is now translating into commercial and defence applications. The fuel cell project, developed in collaboration with KPIT, CSIR-NCL Pune, and CSIR-CECRI, focused on low-temperature PEM fuel cell systems. This technology has been adapted for marine, automotive, and defence platforms—reinforcing India’s roadmap to decarbonisation and energy independence.
Additionally, the meeting spotlighted the success of CSIR-TECHNOS Raman Spectrometers (CTR-300 and CTR-150), co-developed with TechnoS Instruments, Jaipur. These indigenous high-end scientific instruments are now being supplied across India, with 11 units already deployed, indicating the growing demand for homegrown analytical technologies.
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Strengthening Industry Linkages for Atmanirbhar Science and Technology
Calling for greater industry-science partnerships, Dr. Singh urged CSIR to align R&D efforts with national development goals, focusing especially on green tech, precision instrumentation, and deep-tech innovation. He highlighted that initiatives such as the hydrogen sea vessel exemplify what India can achieve when public institutions and private companies collaborate to scale frontier technologies.
Reinforcing the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, the Minister stressed the need for bold, high-impact R&D initiatives that not only build strategic autonomy in critical sectors but also deliver measurable societal outcomes—from clean energy to industrial competitiveness.
These advancements come at a time when India is positioning itself as a global hub for green energy, indigenous tech manufacturing, and strategic science-led innovation across sectors.
