**Executive Summary**
On May 18, 2026, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh met with a high-level U.S. industry delegation to discuss private investment and collaboration in India’s nuclear sector. The discussions focused on expanding nuclear capacity to 100 GW by 2047, leveraging the SHANTI Act, 2025, and the U.S.-India TRUST Initiative. Key priorities include the development of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and strengthening the supply chain for advanced nuclear technologies.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Policy and Strategic Frameworks**
* **SHANTI Act, 2025:** A major policy reform enacted to facilitate greater private and foreign participation in India’s nuclear energy sector.
* **U.S.-India TRUST Initiative:** Launched on February 13, 2025, this initiative provides a framework for cooperation in critical technologies, including semiconductors, AI, and energy.
* **Viksit Bharat 2047:** A long-term vision aiming to increase India's nuclear power capacity from the current 8.8 GW to 100 GW by 2047.
**Nuclear Technology and Research**
* **Small Modular Reactors (SMRs):** India has allocated nearly ₹20,000 crore for the development of SMRs.
* **Advanced Areas for Collaboration:** Focus areas include micro-reactors, AI-enabled nuclear safety systems, nuclear energy modelling, and institutional capacity building.
* **LIGO-India Project:** An advanced scientific collaboration between India and the U.S. (LIGO Laboratory and National Science Foundation) with a budgetary provision of ₹2,600 crore.
**Industry and Manufacturing Opportunities**
* **Supply Chain Integration:** Opportunities for global partnerships in manufacturing, technology cooperation, and resilient supply chains.
* **Ongoing Projects:** Progress review of the Westinghouse AP1000 project at Kovvada and partnerships with Fermilab for proton accelerator technologies.
* **Clean Energy Working Group:** Continued cooperation under the Indo-U.S. Civil Nuclear Energy Working Group (CNEWG) regarding hydrogen production and integrated energy systems.
**Impact Analysis**
**U.S. Nuclear Industry (NEI, USISPF, and Business Stakeholders)**
**Impact**
The delegation gains improved access to India’s expanding nuclear market through new investment avenues and collaborative research opportunities.
**Action Required**
Identify specific investment opportunities in manufacturing and SMR development under the new SHANTI Act framework.
**Indian Government (Department of Atomic Energy & Department of Science & Technology)**
**Impact**
These departments are responsible for managing significant budgetary allocations (₹20,000 crore for SMRs and ₹2,600 crore for LIGO-India) and fostering international partnerships.
**Action Required**
Finalize the implementation framework for the SHANTI Act, 2025, to formalize collaborative opportunities for private and foreign entities.
**Private Sector and Startups**
**Impact**
Domestic and international private entities now have a legal and policy basis for deeper engagement in nuclear energy, manufacturing, and advanced materials.
**Action Required**
Engage in technology partnerships and supply chain integration to support the phased expansion toward the 100 GW target.
Key Entities Referenced
SHANTI Act, 2025: A major policy reform recently enacted to facilitate greater participation of the private sector, including foreign entities, in India’s nuclear energy sector.
U.S.-India TRUST Initiative: A strategic framework established to foster trusted technology partnerships and resilient supply chains across critical and emerging sectors.
Nuclear Energy Mission: India’s ambitious national program focused on expanding nuclear power capacity and implementing policy reforms for industrial collaboration.
Viksit Bharat 2047: The long-term national vision document under which India aims to increase its nuclear power capacity from 8.8 GW to 100 GW by 2047.
U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF): The primary organization responsible for facilitating the high-level industry delegation and bilateral cooperation in civil nuclear energy.
Ministry of Science & Technology
U.S. Industry Delegation Discusses Private
Investment Opportunities in India’s Nuclear
Sector with Dr. Jitendra Singh
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh Holds Discussions with U.S.
Industry Leaders on Nuclear Energy Cooperation
Dr. Jitendra Singh Says India’s Nuclear Expansion and
SHANTI Act Creating New Space for Global Industry
Partnerships
India–U.S. Discussions Focus on Private Investment, SMRs
and Advanced Nuclear Technologies
Posted On: 18 MAY 2026 4:20PM by PIB Delhi
A high-level U.S. industry delegation comprising representatives from the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI)
and the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) today held detailed discussions with Union
Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Minister of State
for PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of
Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, on emerging opportunities for private investment and industry collaboration in
India’s Nuclear sector.
The delegation visits, facilitated by the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum, brought together senior
representatives from the U.S. nuclear industry, business stakeholders and officials associated with India–
U.S. cooperation in civil nuclear energy and advanced technologies.
The interaction focused on India’s ambitious Nuclear Energy Mission, recent policy reforms enabling
greater private sector participation, and the expanding scope of India–U.S. cooperation in clean energy
and critical technologies. Secretary, Department of Science & Technology, Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale, senior
officials from the Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Science & Technology, along with
representatives from U.S. industry organisations, participated in the discussions.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said, India and the United States today share a strong and future-oriented partnership in
science, technology, clean energy and emerging sectors, with civil nuclear cooperation steadily gaining
strategic and economic significance. He said, the launch of the U.S.-India TRUST Initiative during the
meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump on 13 February 2025
has opened new avenues for collaboration in critical and emerging technologies.The Minister said the TRUST initiative, centred around trusted technology partnerships, resilient supply
chains and innovation ecosystems, provides a strong framework for deeper engagement among
governments, industry, academia and startups in areas such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors,
biotechnology, quantum technologies, advanced materials, critical minerals, energy and space
technologies.
Referring to India’s long-term clean energy goals under the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, Dr. Jitendra
Singh said India aims to increase its nuclear power capacity from the present 8.8 GW to 100 GW by 2047
through a phased and carefully planned expansion strategy. He said India’s rapidly growing nuclear energy
programme is creating major opportunities for global partnerships in manufacturing, technology
cooperation, supply chain integration and advanced research.
The Minister informed the delegation that India has recently enacted the SHANTI Act, 2025, a major
policy reform aimed at facilitating greater participation of the private sector, including foreign
participation, in the nuclear energy sector. He said the reform is expected to create a more enabling
ecosystem for investment, industrial collaboration, manufacturing partnerships and technology
cooperation aligned with India’s Nuclear Energy Mission. He added that the implementation framework
under the Act is being finalised to further strengthen collaborative opportunities in the sector.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said India is also moving ahead with plans for development of Small Modular Reactors
(SMRs), supported by an allocation of nearly ₹20,000 crore, and added that there is significant scope for
India–U.S. collaboration in advanced areas such as micro-reactors, AI-enabled nuclear safety systems,
scientific computing, nuclear energy modelling and institutional capacity building.
The discussions also reviewed progress in several ongoing India–U.S. collaborative initiatives including
the proposed Westinghouse AP1000 project at Kovvada, cooperation under the Indo-U.S. Civil Nuclear
Energy Working Group (CNEWG), hydrogen production and integrated energy systems, machine learning
and AI applications, rare earth collaboration, and high-intensity superconducting proton accelerator
technologies through Fermilab partnerships.
The meeting further covered progress in the LIGO-India project being jointly implemented by the
Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Science & Technology in collaboration with the U.S.-
based LIGO Laboratory and the National Science Foundation. Approved with a budgetary provision of
₹2,600 crore, the project is regarded as one of the most significant examples of advanced scientific
collaboration between India and the United States.
The interaction concluded with a shared commitment to deepen practical, industry-led and mutually
beneficial cooperation between India and the United States in clean energy, nuclear technologies,
advanced manufacturing and innovation-driven sectors.****
NKR/AK/FT
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