Govt to open nuclear sector to private players: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveils Vikram-I, Skyroot Aerospace’s first orbital launch vehicle capable of placing satellites into orbit, in New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that the government is moving towards opening the nuclear sector to private players. He underlined that this reform will give new strength to India’s energy security and technological leadership.

“The Prime Minister remarked that the scope of reforms is continuously expanding and highlighted that just as space innovation was opened to the private sector, India is now moving towards opening the nuclear sector as well. A strong role for the private sector is being laid in this field, which will create opportunities in small modular reactors, advanced reactors, and nuclear innovation,” he said.

Addressing a gathering after inaugurating the space-tech start-up Skyroot Aerospace’s rocket manufacturing facility— Infinity Campus —virtually on Thursday, he said this reform will give new strength to India’s energy security and technological leadership.

Ambitious vision

India has set an ambitious vision of reaching 100 gigawatts (GW) of installed nuclear power capacity by 2047 (Viksit Bharat), under which it aims to expand the private sector’s role in R&D.

Currently there are no avenues for setting up joint ventures (JVs) between PSUs and the private sector.

However, the government aims to create avenues for private sector participation by amending the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage (CLND) Act, 2010.

These amendments are expected to be placed before the Parliament in the upcoming Winter session, which is scheduled next month.

One of the critical issues where the participation of the private sector is critical is the skill development segment. A committee constituted by the Power Ministry to prepare a roadmap for nuclear capacity revealed that for achieving 100 GWs by 2047, a large workforce will be required with education and training in engineering and to some extent in nuclear science.

In the Budget for FY26, the government announced a new ₹20,000 crore mission for R&D of small modular reactors (SMR), with the aim of operationalising at least five indigenous SMRs by 2033. India is significantly expanding its nuclear power capacity to 22 GW by 2032 and 100 GW by 2047.

Government was planning to establish 50,000 more Atal Tinkering Labs across the country to promote innovation among students.

“Skyroot’s Infinity Campus reflects India’s new thinking, innovation and youth power. Innovation, risk-taking ability and entrepreneurship of the country’s youth are reaching new heights,” the Prime Minister said.

Earlier, he unveiled the flight-ready Vikram-1, the country’s first private commercial rocket produced by Skyroot at the facility here. It is 2-3 months away from the launch. It is made entirely from carbon fibre, offering superior and 3D-printed hypergolic engines, and  Kalam-1200 booster stage built with advanced carbon composite.

Spanning 200,000 square feet, Infinity Campus houses precision machines and cleanrooms for carbon composite processes.

“In that short span of five years, we have moved to more than 350 space start-ups,” Pawan Goenka, Chairman, Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) said.

(with inputs from Rishi Ranjan Kala in New Delhi)

Published on November 27, 2025