India opens nuclear sector to private investment

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 This has been possible only because we have a Prime Minister with the conviction and capacity to break outdated mindsets."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.