Ready to break taboos: Government to open nuclear sector to private participation

In a major policy shift that could redefine India’s energy landscape, the government has announced its intention to open up the civil nuclear sector to private participation.

The declaration was made by the Minister of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr Jitendra Singh, who emphasised that this transformative step is part of the broader vision of aligning India’s developmental strategies with global standards.

"This is a sector that has historically operated under a veil of secrecy. For decades, the nuclear domain remained untouched by private industry due to legacy policies and strategic concerns. But today, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we are ready to break past taboos and take bold decisions," Dr Singh stated.

A STRATEGIC SHIFT IN POLICY

Highlighting the importance of this decision, the minister remarked: "The Prime Minister himself has said this – we are going to open this up to the private sector. This has been possible only because we have a Prime Minister with the conviction and capacity to break outdated mindsets."

According to Dr Singh, the move aligns with India’s aspiration to become a top global economy, which necessitates adopting international benchmarks and best practices. "We aim to reach the pedestal of rank one in the global economy. To get there, our benchmarks must be global benchmarks," he said.

The minister pointed out that synergy between the public and private sectors is now non-negotiable for achieving high-end technological growth, particularly in sectors that have traditionally remained government monopolies.

LEARNING FROM THE SPACE SECTOR

Drawing parallels with India’s recent success in the space sector, Dr Singh cited it as a model for what private sector collaboration can achieve.

"Just look at what happened when we opened up the space sector. In just four years, we moved from being a minimal player to building an 8 billion USD economy. Projections now estimate we will exceed 45 billion USD in the coming years," he said.

He noted that this "sea change" was driven by enabling private enterprise to innovate and scale alongside government agencies such as ISRO.

BIOTECHNOLOGY: A MODEL FOR INSTITUTIONALISED PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP

Dr Singh also referred to similar collaborations in the biotechnology sector, where the government has developed structured mechanisms for private engagement. "We have institutionalised this collaboration and created interfaces which only a few countries have been able to achieve," he noted.

CIVIL NUCLEAR SECTOR: THE NEXT FRONTIER

The civil nuclear sector, which until now has remained firmly under state control due to strategic and security sensitivities, is now being considered for a new operational framework that includes private entities.

"We are still working out the modalities of how exactly this will be done. The Prime Minister has given us the green signal, and we are committed to building a robust system where the private and public sectors can co-exist in this highly sensitive domain," Dr Singh said.

He acknowledged that while implementation details are still under discussion, the policy direction is clear: India is moving towards an inclusive, innovation-driven nuclear ecosystem.

A NEW ERA FOR INDIA'S STRATEGIC SECTORS

This announcement is being seen as a watershed moment in India’s approach to strategic industries. The government’s willingness to shed past inhibitions and embrace private collaboration could unlock new technological capabilities, fast-track innovation, and attract both domestic and global investment in the nuclear energy space.

Industry experts and strategic analysts are closely watching the move, as the framework for private sector entry into civil nuclear power could potentially mirror – or even surpass – the success stories seen in space and biotechnology.