European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who is in India with 22 members of the 27-strong College of Commissioners, later witnessed a digital payment through India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI). Von der Leyen, in public remarks on Friday, said the two sides are working for interoperability between their digital public infrastructure.

The EU Commissioners travelled from Imperial Hotel on Janpath to the stately Hyderabad House near the India Gate circle on the bus powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology that was jointly developed by Tata Motors and Indian Oil Corporation Limited. The sides of the blue and white vehicle featured the slogan: “This bus runs on H2O with zero emissions.”

Photos released by the external publicity division of the external affairs ministry showed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Von der Leyen standing in front of the bus outside Hyderabad House.

“The idea behind the hydrogen bus was to show the extent of work ongoing in terms of renewable energy and green technologies. Green transition is very much part of India’s priorities,” Tanmaya Lal, secretary (West) in the external affairs ministry, told a media briefing. “We have set very ambitious renewable energy targets, and green hydrogen will form a very important sector in our pathway towards those targets. That is also one of the areas where the EU and India have a lot of expertise, technology collaboration to share, which is ongoing.”

Later, at the Imperial Hotel, Von der Leyen witnessed a digital payment made by EU ambassador Hervé Delphin using the UPI mechanism. As a UPI device provided an instant audio confirmation of the payment, Von der Leyen clapped and said, “Super!”

Lal said digital transformation and green energy transition are areas where India has quickly developed its capabilities, and also where India and the EU are collaborating closely. The two sides announced joint funding of 60 million euros for green energy initiatives, including research on electric vehicles, marine plastics and converting waste to green hydrogen.

Von der Leyen also took a stroll through Lodhi Garden. “Surrounded by ancient monuments, lush greenery, and vibrant birdlife, she immersed herself in the essence of India’s incredible heritage,” an EU official said.