On 6 February 2026, IIT Kanpur participated in a landmark international collaboration in the field of clean and sustainable energy. . Prof. Bushra Ateeq, Dean of International Relations, IIT Kanpur, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Prof. Jouke de Vries, President of the University of Groningen, Netherlands, along with 18 other IITs. This MoU is designed to strengthen academic cooperation and advance research in green energy and hydrogen technologies.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology (DST), Shri Abhay Bakre, Mission Director, National Green Hydrogen Mission, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Mr. Huib Mijnarends, Deputy Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to India and Prof. Aravind Purushothaman Vellayani, Director of Hydrogen Economy, Wubbo Ockels School, Groningen University. Dr. Anita Gupta, Head, CEST Division, DST, Dr. Ranjith Krishna Pai, Senior Director, HVIC and HFC Programme Officer, CEST, DST, Professor Dhirendra S. Katti, Director, IIT Goa, and Prof. Venkappayya R. Desai, Director, IIT Dharwad, along with senior officials from other IITs, were also present.

The event was hosted by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, which also launched the India–Netherlands Hydrogen Fellowship Programme. Together, the MoU and the fellowship highlight the growing partnership between India and the Netherlands and reflect a shared commitment to advancing green hydrogen research, capacity building, and clean energy goals for the future and will contribute to India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission, Energy Independence 2047, and Net-Zero 2070 goals.