India and the Netherlands on Friday moved to strengthen cooperation in clean energy research with the launch of the India-Netherlands Hydrogen Fellowship Programme and the signing of an academic partnership between the University of Groningen and 19 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), DD News reported.
Facilitated by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the initiatives are aimed at improving research capability, developing skilled talent, and supporting innovation in green hydrogen technologies, which are seen as important to India’s shift toward cleaner energy.
The Hydrogen Fellowship Programme, for which guidelines and a call for proposals were released on Thursday, is open to eligible doctoral, postdoctoral, and faculty applicants from Indian institutions. The programme is designed to provide structured exposure to advanced hydrogen ecosystems in the Netherlands, covering areas such as system integration, safety, techno-economic analysis, life-cycle assessment, and pathways for local development.
DST Secretary Prof. Abhay Karandikar said focused international collaboration and targeted capacity-building efforts are necessary to move hydrogen technologies from research into practical use, especially in sectors that are difficult to decarbonise and are aligned with India’s clean energy goals.
Huib Mijnarends, Deputy Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to India, noted the strong alignment between the two countries in hydrogen research and energy transition priorities. University of Groningen President Prof. Dr. Jouke de Vries highlighted the importance of sustained academic partnerships in addressing global energy challenges.
In a related development, DST hosted the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the University of Groningen and 19 IITs, establishing a framework for long-term academic cooperation in hydrogen and green energy research. The agreement will support faculty and student exchanges, joint research projects, and knowledge sharing, and does not include automatic financial commitments.According to the Ministry of Science and Technology, the fellowship and academic partnership are intended to ensure that research outcomes directly support India’s
