Sonowal Launches India’s First Home-Built Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Vessel in Varanasi

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday launched India's first indigenous hydrogen fuel-cell vessel in Varanasi. This marks an important step in the country's efforts to promote clean, sustainable inland water transport. During a ceremony at Namo Ghat, the Ports, Shipping, and Waterways minister started the vessel's commercial operations.

Sonowal stated that the hydrogen-powered vessel shows India's improving technology and its focus on sustainable energy.

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"This is not just a tech upgrade, but a sign that we are advancing confidently towards green energy and indigenous solutions," he said.

The minister expressed national pride in India's inclusion among countries like China, Norway, the Netherlands, and Japan that operate hydrogen-powered vessels.

"This proves that our technical capabilities are ready for the future. This has been made possible due to the Prime Minister's visionary leadership. The speed and approach with which every sector has been advancing has ensured that inland waterways now play an important role in India's development journey," he said in Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency.

Uttar Pradesh's Minister of State for Transport, Dayashankar Singh, Minister of State for Ayush, Food Safety and Drug Administration, Dayashankar Mishra, and Minister of State for Stamp and Court Fees and Registration, Ravindra Jaiswal, were among the public representatives present at the event.

According to an official statement, the initiative is part of the ongoing modernisation of India's inland waterways. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has prioritised clean transport, better connectivity, and increased public convenience.

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