India is accelerating its nuclear energy ambitions with a renewed focus on expanding cooperation with the United States.
As policymakers increasingly view nuclear power as essential for meeting the country’s rapidly rising industrial and electricity demands. At the centre of the ongoing discussions are two key goals — increasing reliable base-load nuclear power generation and building a domestic ecosystem around small modular reactors (SMRs), which are emerging globally as the next major frontier in nuclear energy.
The renewed momentum comes during the visit of a high-level American nuclear industry delegation to India, where meetings have been held with Union ministers, state governments and major Indian industrial groups.
As India expands sectors such as artificial intelligence, semiconductor manufacturing, electric mobility, logistics and data centres, demand for uninterrupted electricity is rising sharply. Policymakers believe nuclear energy could play a crucial role in ensuring stable round-the-clock power supply alongside renewable energy sources.
Devendra Fadnavis said nuclear energy would be critical for supporting industrial growth while ensuring low-carbon electricity generation. He pointed out that Maharashtra currently hosts nearly 60 per cent of India’s data centre capacity and attracts more than 40 per cent of the country’s foreign investment, making energy reliability increasingly important for the state’s economy.
“Maharashtra will lead the next phase of nuclear expansion in India,” Fadnavis said, adding that agreements linked to nearly 25,000 MW of nuclear projects had already been signed. He also invited American companies to invest in the state, promising support through industrial land, infrastructure, research partnerships, skill development and incentives.
INDIA’S NUCLEAR STRATEGY EVOLVING
According to reports citing officials involved in the discussions, India has communicated two major priorities to the visiting US delegation.
The first is scaling up nuclear electricity generation to strengthen India’s base-load power capacity. Unlike solar and wind energy, nuclear power can provide uninterrupted electricity throughout the day, which is increasingly important for energy-intensive industries.
The second priority is entering the manufacturing and technology ecosystem around SMRs.
India is expected to continue expanding its indigenous pressurised heavy water reactor (PHWR) programme, where it already has strong technical expertise. However, policymakers are also selectively exploring foreign partnerships, particularly in advanced reactor technologies such as SMRs.
Officials believe this approach could help India strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities while attracting international technology and investment. At the same time, concerns remain over the high costs of imported light water reactors (LWRs), which dominate much of the global nuclear market. That has increased policy focus on building affordable indigenous capabilities alongside foreign collaboration.
WHY SMALL MODULAR REACTORS ARE IMPORTANT
SMRs have now become one of the most important areas of India-US nuclear discussions. Unlike conventional nuclear plants, SMRs are smaller, modular and designed for flexible deployment. Globally, they are increasingly being viewed as commercially viable options for supporting industrial zones, remote infrastructure and high-demand urban clusters.
Fadnavis said Maharashtra wants to emerge as an early hub for SMR deployment and innovation.
“SMR technology is aligned with the future requirements of industrial economies,” he said.
Reports also indicate that India is seeking foreign investment and technical expertise in the SMR segment, with sovereign wealth funds from West Asia reportedly showing early interest in financing future projects. The push comes after Parliament passed the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Act, 2025, or SHANTI Act, which opened parts of India’s nuclear sector to greater private participation.
The legislation marked a major shift in policy by allowing private companies to participate in operations, fuel management and several other areas previously dominated by the public sector.
US NUCLEAR INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT EXPANDS
The ongoing discussions are being led through the “US Nuclear Executive Mission to India”, organised by the Nuclear Energy Institute and the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum. The delegation includes executives from major American nuclear firms such as Holtec International, Centrus Energy and Curtiss-Wright Corporation.
Meetings have already been held with Nirmala Sitharaman and Manohar Lal Khattar, along with interactions involving Indian private companies and state governments. The delegation is also expected to engage with leading Indian industrial groups including Reliance Industries, Adani Group, Tata Power, JSW Energy, Vedanta and Larsen & Toubro.
WIDER TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIP ALSO GROWING
Separately, Sergio Gor met Jitendra Singh to discuss broader cooperation in biotechnology, quantum technology, nuclear medicine, atomic energy and space research. According to the Ministry of Science and Technology, India informed the US side that nuclear research had now been opened to private participation for the first time, enabling greater collaboration in healthcare, diagnostics and scientific innovation.
The discussions took place under the US-India TRUST Initiative, which focuses on collaboration in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, biotechnology, critical minerals, energy and advanced materials. Both countries also discussed cooperation in vaccine development, CAR-T therapy, AI-powered diagnostics and expanding private participation in India’s growing space ecosystem.
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