Cochin International Airport in Kerala is gearing up to become the first Indian airport to operate hydrogen-powered buses for passenger transport. On February 1, 2026, the Kerala Hydrogen Valley Innovation Cluster Foundation and Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) to make this happen. K. Krishnankutty, Kerala’s Minister for Electricity and chairman of ANERT, and P. Rajeeve, Minister for Industries and director of CIAL, exchanged the MoA at a ceremony held at the 0484 Aero Lounge in CIAL. The deal covers the purchase and use of three hydrogen fuel cell electric buses. This is a key part of the Kerala Hydrogen Valley initiative under India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission. The Kerala HVIC Foundation will fund the buses, with a cap of ₹2.90 crore per bus. The total project cost is limited to ₹8.7 crore, to be disbursed in stages. The buses must be procured within 12 months. Once bought, they will be owned and run by CIAL, which will also handle all operating costs and decide the routes. Top officials including CIAL managing director S. Suhas, Kerala HVIC Foundation chairman Harshil R. Meena, and Dr. Ranjith Krishna Pai from the Department of Science and Technology were present at the event. The project aims to cut emissions from airport transport and improve passenger experience. A green hydrogen plant built by CIAL and BPCL nearby will supply fuel for these buses. With all government approvals in place, the airport's switch to hydrogen buses is set to roll out soon.