Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) is set to become the first airport in India to operate hydrogen‑powered passenger buses, advancing efforts to decarbonise airport ground transport and strengthen sustainable mobility.
The announcement follows the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoU) between CIAL and the Kerala Hydrogen Valley Innovation Cluster Foundation, part of the broader National Green Hydrogen Mission initiative. The agreement was exchanged in Kochi in the presence of state officials, including Kerala’s Electricity Minister K. Krishnankutty and Industries Minister P. Rajeev.
Under the plan, three hydrogen fuel cell electric buses will be procured and operated at CIAL within the next 12 months. Funding support for the project, provided by the Kerala Hydrogen Valley initiative, is capped at ₹2.90 crore per bus, with a total project cost of ₹8.7 crore. CIAL will own the buses and manage all operational and statutory expenses, including deciding their routes and service model within the airport.
Officials said the buses will help reduce emissions from airport transport and enhance passenger convenience, with hydrogen fuel supplied through an upcoming green hydrogen plant and refuelling infrastructure being developed at the airport in partnership with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL). Statutory approvals for infrastructure development have already been obtained.
The project marks a pioneering step in India’s adoption of hydrogen fuel cell technology for public mobility, complementing CIAL’s existing distinction as one of the world’s most environmentally progressive airports.