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India's nuclear energy ambitions may increasingly depend not just on policy reforms or technology choices, but on the country's ability to rapidly build execution capacity across supply chains, manufacturing, fuel systems and skilled workforce, according to a joint report by the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC) and KPMG in India.
The report said "execution readiness is emerging as a key constraint" as India targets 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047. "Scaling to 100 GW will require rapid strengthening of supply chains, manufacturing capacity, fuel assurance frameworks, and institutional capabilities--marking a clear shift from policy reform to delivery," the report noted. The report comes at a time when India is pushing to expand its nuclear power generation capacity from the current 8.8 GW to 22 GW by 2032 and eventually 100 GW by 2047 as part of its long-term energy transition and energy security goals. According to the report, while India has already announced significant reforms through the SHANTI Act, 2025, and the proposed Nuclear Energy Mission, the next phase of growth would depend on whether projects can be executed at scale and within timelines. The report said India's nuclear sector is at a "defining inflection point", driven by the SHANTI Act, 2025, which replaces older legislation with "a modern framework enabling private participation while retaining sovereign control over critical fuel cycle and safety functions." The study highlighted that industry interest in nuclear energy has already crossed the government's 100 GW target, but warned that investor confidence would depend on "repeatable project templates, predictable approvals, long-term offtake certainty, and early-stage risk-sharing mechanisms." The report also underlined the growing importance of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), saying they are expected to expand nuclear use cases beyond electricity generation into industrial heat, hydrogen production, desalination, shipping and captive industrial power. It noted that SMRs and indigenous Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs) are "central to this vision" due to their "modular design, passive safety features, and scalability". Rahul Sharma, Managing Director - India, U.S.-India Business Council, said India has already aligned policy ambition with institutional reforms. "The focus must now shift decisively to execution, partnerships, and bankable delivery models to translate this historic opportunity into operating capacity," Sharma said. Anish De, Global Head - Energy, Natural Resources & Chemicals, KPMG International, said predictable regulation and financing frameworks would be critical to attract private capital into the sector. "This report demonstrates that with predictable regulation, viable financing structures, and standardised technology pathways, India can mobilise private capital and build a safe, competitive, and future-ready nuclear ecosystem," De said. The report further stated that India would need significant investments in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education, workforce training, fuel supply chains and nuclear-grade manufacturing infrastructure to support the planned expansion. It added that nuclear power plants in India generated 56,681 million units of electricity in FY2024-25, with plant load factors exceeding 87 per cent, highlighting the sector's role as a reliable source of round-the-clock clean power. (ANI)
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