With Indian delegation at the World Hydrogen Summit 2026: Building bridges for Indo-German technology partnerships

On behalf of the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), RTG doctoral student Jakob Baumgarten (Project E1, photo above 4th from left) supported the GIZ India team in the preparation, implementation and moderation of an Indian delegation trip to the World Hydrogen Summit 2026 in Rotterdam. The delegation brought together representatives from government institutions and the private sector. The initiative is part of the H2Uppp program commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), which strengthens markets for green hydrogen and PtX applications through structured public-private partnerships (PPP). India's strong expansion of renewable energy - from 5 GW of solar capacity in 2015 to over 154 GW in 2026 - creates the basis for the national hydrogen strategy: With the target of 5 million tons of green hydrogen by 2030, new business areas for German electrolyser suppliers and PtX technology partners are emerging at an early stage. With a technical focus on global hydrogen markets, Jakob Baumgarten supported the coordination and moderation of the delegation program as well as the mediation of German-Indian technology partnerships.

The program kicked off with four site visits in the Duisburg region, during which the Indian delegation visited the steelworks of Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe, gained insights into the hydrogen activities of Thyssenkrupp Nucera and its Carbon2Chem project and also took part in a networking event at Siemens Energy. Finally, the delegation explored duisport, the world's largest inland port, and its transformation towards sustainable hydrogen logistics. These excursions provided practical insights into the European hydrogen economy and offered the Indian industrial partners valuable inspiration.

The delegation's trip focused on the World Hydrogen Summit 2026 in Rotterdam, where over 400 international companies presented their hydrogen technologies and innovations. During the trade fair tours, the delegation visited the stands of leading companies, including Vopak for the import and storage of green molecules, Siemens Energy with integrated solutions along the entire hydrogen value chain as well as Bosch, SMA Altenso GmbH, Linde and CellCentric with a focus on electrolysis technologies, fuel cells and industrial gases. AKROS Energy presented innovative storage solutions with a non-toxic and non-hazardous hydrogen storage concept based on salt solutions. The delegation also took part in the 3rd EU-India Green Hydrogen Business Forum, where the speakers emphasized the need for "implementation-oriented cooperation". The visit to the Port of Rotterdam demonstrated Europe's infrastructure for green hydrogen activities. Particularly impressive was the visit to the 200 MW ELYgator electrolyzer currently under construction, which will position Rotterdam as a central European hub for green molecules.

The delegation trip underlines the potential of Indo-German cooperation in the hydrogen economy and creates an important basis for future business relationships that can contribute to the global hydrogen transformation. Further information on the initiative can be found here: International Hydrogen Ramp-up Program - H2Uppp.