India’s efforts to expand civil nuclear cooperation with the United States are gathering pace, with New Delhi now placing nuclear energy at the centre of its long-term industrial and energy strategy.
The renewed push is being driven by two major priorities — rapidly increasing reliable round-the-clock electricity generation and building a domestic manufacturing ecosystem around small modular reactors (SMRs).
The developments come during the visit of a high-level American nuclear industry delegation to India, where discussions have taken place with Union ministers, state governments and leading Indian private sector companies.
As India’s economy becomes increasingly dependent on energy-intensive sectors such as artificial intelligence, semiconductor manufacturing, logistics, electric mobility and large-scale data centres, policymakers are viewing nuclear energy as critical for ensuring stable base-load power supply that renewable energy alone may struggle to provide consistently.
Devendra Fadnavis strongly backed the expansion of nuclear energy, describing it as essential for supporting industrial growth while maintaining low-carbon power generation.
He said Maharashtra already accounts for nearly 60 per cent of India’s data centre infrastructure and attracts more than 40 per cent of the country’s foreign investment, making reliable 24×7 electricity increasingly important for the state’s future growth.
“Maharashtra will lead the next phase of nuclear energy expansion in India,” Fadnavis said, adding that agreements had already been signed for projects worth nearly 25,000 MW of capacity.
He also offered support to American firms interested in investing in the sector, including industrial land, infrastructure support, skill development partnerships, research collaboration and incentives.
INDIA’S TWO MAJOR NUCLEAR GOALS
According to reports citing officials involved in the discussions, India has communicated two clear priorities to the visiting US delegation.
The first is to significantly expand nuclear power generation capacity to strengthen India’s base-load electricity supply. Unlike solar or wind power, nuclear energy can provide uninterrupted electricity throughout the day, making it increasingly important for industries requiring continuous power.
The second priority is entering the manufacturing value chain for SMRs, which are emerging globally as one of the most promising next-generation nuclear technologies.
India is expected to continue relying heavily on its indigenous pressurised heavy water reactor (PHWR) programme, where it already possesses strong domestic expertise. However, policymakers are also exploring selective foreign partnerships, especially in the SMR segment.
Officials believe this approach could help India strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities while also attracting international investment and advanced technology.
At the same time, concerns continue over the high costs associated with imported light water reactors (LWRs), which dominate the international nuclear market. This has increased the focus on developing more affordable and scalable domestic solutions.
WHY SMALL MODULAR REACTORS MATTER
SMRs have now emerged as one of the biggest focus areas in India-US nuclear discussions.
Unlike traditional nuclear plants, SMRs are smaller, modular and designed for more flexible deployment. Globally, they are increasingly being seen as a commercially viable alternative capable of supporting industrial clusters, remote locations and energy-intensive sectors.
Fadnavis said Maharashtra wants to position itself as an early hub for SMR deployment and innovation.
“SMR technology is compatible with the future needs of the industrial economy,” he said.
Reports also suggest that India is actively looking for foreign expertise and financing support in the SMR sector, with sovereign wealth funds from West Asia reportedly showing preliminary interest in funding future nuclear projects.
The renewed momentum comes after Parliament passed the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Act, 2025, commonly referred to as the SHANTI Act.
The legislation marked a significant policy shift by opening parts of India’s tightly controlled nuclear sector to greater private participation. Private companies can now participate in operations, fuel management and other segments that were earlier dominated almost entirely by the public sector.
HIGH-LEVEL US NUCLEAR DELEGATION IN INDIA
The ongoing engagement is 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 senior executives from major American nuclear firms such as Holtec International, Centrus Energy, Curtiss-Wright Corporation and Clean Core Thorium Energy.
Meetings have already taken place with Nirmala Sitharaman and Manohar Lal Khattar, alongside interactions with Indian state governments and industrial groups.
The delegation is also expected to meet major Indian companies including Reliance Industries, Adani Group, Tata Power, JSW Energy, Vedanta, Larsen & Toubro and Hindalco Industries.
BROADER INDIA-US TECHNOLOGY COLLABORATION
Separately, Sergio Gor met Jitendra Singh to discuss wider cooperation in areas such as biotechnology, quantum technology, space research, nuclear medicine and atomic energy.
According to the Ministry of Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh informed the US side that India had opened nuclear research to private sector participation for the first time, enabling investment and international collaboration in healthcare and scientific innovation.
The discussions were held under the US-India TRUST Initiative, which focuses on cooperation in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, biotechnology, energy, critical minerals, advanced materials and space technologies.
Both sides also discussed collaboration in vaccine research, CAR-T therapy, AI-driven diagnostics and expanding private participation in India’s growing space ecosystem.
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