New Delhi [India], September 21 (ANI): Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) on Monday partnered with Deendayal Port Authority, Kandla, to host Parivahan 2.0 - Global Hyperloop Summit to advance high-speed, sustainable transport.

The Summit brought together stakeholders from government, ports, railways, logistics, industry, academia and research to discuss the development of Hyperloop technology and its potential applications in transportation and logistics.

 A key highlight of the Summit was the signing of an agreement between TuTr Hyperloop and Larsen and Toubro (L&T), as it marked an important step towards strengthening industry participation in developing Hyperloop-related technologies.

Through Parivahan 2.0, IIT Madras and its partners provided a platform for researchers, students, policymakers and industry stakeholders to exchange perspectives, explore collaborations and discuss pathways for advancing Hyperloop technologies and their potential applications in India's future transportation and logistics systems.

Addressing the event virtually,  Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said, "Under the vision of Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, India is building towards a modern, clean, green and high-speed logistics network as we work towards Viksit Bharat 2047. Emerging technologies such as Hyperloop can play an important role in connecting ports with logistics parks, warehouses, industrial clusters and inland freight terminals, enabling faster and more efficient movement of cargo.

' I am particularly pleased to see the progress at Deendayal Port Authority, Kandla, with TuTr Hyperloop's LIM technology demonstrator, followed by the Maglev technology. It represents a historic step in taking this technology from the laboratory to the port, and from technology demonstration towards commercialisation," he added. 

Sarbananda Sonowal added, "This collaboration demonstrates how Indian deep tech can be developed, tested and taken towards real-world deployment. This is the collaborative model India needs: academia, industry and user organisation working together. It is the true spirit of Make in India: innovate in India, build in India, and take Indian technology to the world. As we move towards Viksit Bharat 2047, our ambition should be to move beyond technology demonstration and work towards a full-scale cargo Hyperloop system as part of India's future logistics network. I hope student teams from India and across the world will develop concepts that can find real-world applications in ports, freight and logistics."

Often described as the 'fifth mode of transport', Hyperloop is an emerging high-speed transportation system in which electromagnetically levitating pods travel through low-pressure or vacuum tubes. By reducing friction and air resistance, the technology has the potential to enable high-speed movement of passengers and freight, with applications in logistics, port connectivity and sustainable mobility.

Sushil Kumar Singh, Chairman, Deendayal Port Authority, added, "There are numerous use cases across different sectors of the economy where Hyperloop technology can create value. The Global Hyperloop Competition serves as an important platform that brings together innovators, technology developers, students, researchers, user departments and industry to explore the possibilities and viability of Hyperloop-based transportation solutions. GHC 2027 will provide a global platform for students, universities, researchers and startups from around the world to develop new ideas and demonstrate the potential of next-generation transportation."

Addressing the Summit, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said, "Hyperloop has been very close to the heart of IIT Madras. It was the first big interdisciplinary project we saw, with 72 members spread across six or seven departments, and the first barrier we have broken is that we have made several departments talk to each other. If we have our own technology, we are surely going to succeed. No standard is going to be acceptable on paper; we must demonstrate it on real platforms, and we have a platform here.

'I want to see the day when there are bookings for the tube and teams are competing to use it. I would also like TuTr Hyperloop to bring Hyperloop clubs to IITs across India and to develop skill-development courses on structures, levitation, propulsion and related areas, which we can offer on SWAYAM and SWAYAM Plus," he added. 

The Summit examined how Hyperloop could be integrated into future transportation networks, particularly for freight movement, port-to-hinterland connectivity and logistics. Discussions also addressed the technological, infrastructure, regulatory and commercial requirements for developing a Hyperloop ecosystem in India. (ANI)