India and Japan have signed a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) to advance clean hydrogen and ammonia ecosystems at home and abroad. The agreement, between India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, was formalised during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Japan.

The JDI commits both nations to collaborate on research, investment, and deployment of hydrogen and ammonia technologies, spanning production, transport, and applications. A Hydrogen/Ammonia Task Force will be created under the India-Japan Energy Dialogue, with progress reported annually.

The declaration highlights complementary strengths: Japan’s technological leadership in hydrogen and ammonia, and India’s vast renewable potential to produce low-cost clean fuels at scale. India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission targets 5 million mt of renewable hydrogen by 2030, while Japan has launched a ¥3 trillion ($20 billion) plan to support imports.

The agreement also introduces a Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, enabling India to export carbon credits internationally. Areas of cooperation include technology development, trade and investment, harmonisation of standards, and cross-border supply chains for hydrogen, ammonia and derivatives such as methanol and sustainable aviation fuel.