India unveils a bold plan to ramp up nuclear capacity to 100 gigawatts by 2047, linking its energy transformation to economic and digital expansion amid substantial investments and sector reforms.
India is preparing one of its most ambitious energy shifts yet, setting a target of 100 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity by 2047 as it looks to meet fast-rising demand from artificial intelligence, semiconductor manufacturing and data centres. In his Independence Day address, Narendra Modi linked the nuclear push to the country’s broader industrial ambitions, saying five new reactors would be commissioned this decade as part of a longer-term build-out.
The plan marks a sharp acceleration from India’s current installed nuclear capacity of about 8.8GW. According to industry and government updates, the roadmap under discussion combines conventional large reactors with small modular reactors, or SMRs, which can be built in smaller units and deployed more quickly. The proposed mix also reflects a wider effort to open the sector to greater private and foreign participation, backed by the SHANTI Act, which replaced older nuclear rules and gave the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board a statutory footing. Officials are also working on draft rules covering licensing, safety, liability and captive generation.
Analysts say the scale of the target will require far more than policy intent. A recent TERI estimate put the investment requirement at roughly ₹23 trillion to ₹25 trillion, while another roadmap has suggested long-term needs around ₹20 trillion. That funding would have to support reactor construction, fuel security, waste handling and decommissioning. The government is also looking at domestic uranium mining, overseas supply deals and indigenous manufacturing to cut dependence on imports. Supporters argue that nuclear power offers round-the-clock low-carbon electricity with a far smaller land footprint than solar or wind, making it a useful back-up to renewables and a better fit for power-hungry digital industry.
India’s reactor base is already expanding in stages, with more units under construction and several projects still in the planning pipeline. The Central Electricity Authority has said the country needs a sustained and coordinated effort if it is to move from today’s capacity to the 2047 goal. If the programme stays on track, it would give India a larger role in the global nuclear market while helping to underpin its net-zero pledge for 2070.
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