IIT Madras hosts Asia's first Global Hyperloop Competition 2025

NEW DELHI: As many as Ten Hyperloop teams comprising 200 students are competing in Asia’s first Global Hyperloop Competition (GHC) 2025 being organised by the IIT Madras, according to officials. The event from February 21-25 will also host 150 industry delegates from across the world, representing the mobility, research and hyperloop sectors.

The competition is being held at "Discovery", Indian Institute of Technology Madras' Satellite Campus located in Thaiyur, about 36 km from the main campus. GHC 2025 is set to position India at the heart of hyperloop innovation. It is aimed at uniting global talent, industry leaders, and researchers, fostering collaboration, innovation, and real-world implementation of hyperloop technology, officials said.

Hyperloop high speed train

Hyperloop is the fifth mode of transportation, a high-speed train that travels in a near-vacuum tube. The reduced air resistance allows the capsule inside the tube to reach speeds of more than 1000 km/h. Elon Musk, who heads SpaceX and Tesla, proposed the idea of Hyperloop to the world in 2013 through a whitepaper – ‘Hyperloop Alpha.’

"The competition is not only a celebration of innovation but also a testament of how India is emerging as a leader in transportation technology," said Pankaj Sharma, Principal Executive Director, Railway Board. The competition is being conducted by IIT Madras, IITM Pravartak Technologies Foundation and SAE India, with additional support from the Ministry of Railways, Government of India.

IIT Madras at forefront of hyperloop research for past 7 years

"Days are not far off when our country will realise very fast hyperloop connectivity between important destinations across our nation," said V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, "A key objective of the event is to showcase and propagate hyperloop concepts worldwide, fostering a transformative spirit among young minds in the field of transportation," he said.

Kamakoti said IIT Madras has been at the forefront of hyperloop research for the past seven years, significantly contributing to the field.

"The institute boasts the longest operational student-run hyperloop test tube and track, spanning 422 meters at the Discovery Campus. This achievement underscores India’s growing influence in the hyperloop ecosystem and sets the stage for GHC 2025,” he said.

The event will feature three primary competition categories---Pod Demonstration – Showcasing functional hyperloop pod prototypes; Hyperloop InnoQuest – A case study challenge exploring hyperloop technology and implementation and DesignX – A platform for teams to present innovative hyperloop designs.