UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — India Leads Globally with Green Hydrogen Offtake Commitments Exceeding 5.5 Lakh MTPA Till October 2026

Q1. With reference to the classification of hydrogen by production pathway, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Blue hydrogen avoids fossil fuels as feedstock, because the carbon released during its production is captured and stored.
  2. Grey and blue hydrogen can both be produced by reforming natural gas, and they differ mainly in whether the resulting CO2 is captured.
  3. Green hydrogen gets its hydrogen from water, which is split using electricity from renewable sources.
  • A. 3 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 2 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q2. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. Substituting green hydrogen for grey hydrogen in an ammonia plant lowers the plant's CO2 emissions, even though the ammonia produced is chemically identical.
  2. Green hydrogen is produced by splitting water, so its hydrogen does not come from a carbon-containing fuel that must be converted into CO2.
  • A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
  • B. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
  • C. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
  • D. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Q3. Consider the following assertion: 'Even if India's entire electricity grid became renewable, fertiliser and petroleum-refining industries would still need green hydrogen to decarbonise.' Which of the following statements support the above assertion?

  1. In ammonia synthesis, hydrogen is a chemical feedstock that becomes part of the product, not merely a source of energy.
  2. Refineries consume hydrogen as a process input when turning crude oil into cleaner fuels.
  3. The hydrogen now used in these industries is mostly made from fossil fuels, and making the grid renewable does not change that production route.
  4. Green ammonia can be co-fired with coal in thermal power plants.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • B. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1 and 2 only

Q4. With reference to demand-side instruments used to scale up green hydrogen, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A long-term offtake agreement lowers the demand risk faced by a project developer, which can reduce the cost at which the developer raises finance.
  2. In a reverse auction, buyers compete with one another by bidding prices upward to secure supply.
  3. Because an offtake agreement fixes future demand, the producer no longer needs to raise any external capital for the project.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 1 only

Q5. Consider the following facts: Over 70% of the green hydrogen offtake contracts signed by Indian firms are for export, mainly to Japan and Germany. Indian suppliers are reported to offer highly competitive prices in European and Japanese markets. An Indian firm won the Asian lot of a German government-backed import auction. Which of the following inferences can be drawn from the above facts?

  1. Japan and Germany are meeting at least part of their demand for green hydrogen derivatives through imports.
  2. Domestic demand in India for green hydrogen derivatives is negligible.
  3. Indian producers have been cost-competitive enough to win at least one import auction run on behalf of a foreign buyer.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1 only

Q6. Consider the following facts reported as of October 2026: India's green hydrogen offtake commitments total about 5.5 lakh tonnes per annum. The National Green Hydrogen Mission targets at least 5 million tonnes per annum of green hydrogen production by 2030. Some commitments are signed contracts, while others are 'in process' or at 'head of agreement' stage. Over 70% of the contracts are for export. Which of the following inferences can be drawn from the above facts?

  1. Offtake commitments alone cover only a small fraction of the 2030 production target.
  2. The headline commitment figure may overstate the volume that is legally binding.
  3. India's actual green hydrogen output in 2026 was about 5.5 lakh tonnes.
  4. Export-oriented offtakes cannot count towards the Mission's production target.
  • A. 1, 2 and 4 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 2 only
  • D. 1, 3 and 4 only

Q7. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. Green ammonia is promoted as a candidate fuel for decarbonising international shipping.
  2. Ammonia is the main feedstock for nitrogenous fertilisers such as urea.
  • A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
  • B. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
  • C. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
  • D. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct