Ignition delay (ID) is one of the important parameters that make influenced on the combustion process inside the cylinder. This ignition delay affects not only the performances but also the noise and emissions of the engine. In this regards the experiments were conducted on single cylinder 4-stroke compression ignition research diesel engine, power 3.50 kW at constant speed 1500 rpm Kirloskar model TV1 with base fuel as diesel and hydrogen as secondary fuel with and without Di-tertiary-butyl-peroxide (DTBP). Experiments were conducted to measure the ignition delay of the dual fuel diesel (DFD) engine at different load conditions and substitution of diesel by hydrogen with or without DTBP and then it was compared with predicted ID given by Hardenberg-Hase equation and modified Hardenberg-Hase equation. The experimental values of ignition delay were compared with theoretical ignition delay which was predicted on the basis of Hardenberg-Hase equation by considering mean cylinder temperature, pressure, activation energy and cetane number and variations are found in between 6.60% and 21.22%. While, the Hardenberg-Hase equation was modified (by considering variation in activation energy) for DFD engine working on diesel as primary fuel and hydrogen as secondary fuel shows variations 1.20%-11.96%. Furthermore, with DTBP it gives variation up to 18.01%. It was found that ID decreases with increase in percentage of DTBP and hydrogen in air-fuel mixture. This might be due to the cetane improver nature of DTBP, pre-ignition reaction rate and energy release rate of hydrogen fuel. The polytropic index get increased by addition of (Di-tert butyl peroxide) DTBP. Similarly, 5% Di tertiary butyl peroxide reduces Ignition delay. (C) 2020 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.