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New Delhi: A delegation of 20 senior executives from the American nuclear industry is visiting India from May 18–21 to explore areas of cooperation after New Delhi enacted the SHANTI law, which opens the door for private players to participate in the tightly‑controlled civil nuclear sector. The delegation will visit New Delhi and Mumbai, meeting Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, officials from the Department of Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited and leaders from several private sector companies.

The visit is being organised by the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum and the Nuclear Energy Institute. “The goal is to understand how American and Indian companies can further collaborate to support project development, strengthen supply chains and build long-term commercial partnerships,” the USISPF said.

India’s SHANTI Act opens nuclear sector to private players

The delegation’s visit comes after the enactment of the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) law in December last year, which replaced the Atomic Energy Act of 1964 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act of 2010. The older law had tougher liability provisions on nuclear suppliers, which global companies found to be a significant impediment to entering the Indian market.

India’s 100 GW nuclear target by 2047

India has set an ambitious target of producing 100 GW of nuclear power by 2047, a massive jump from the current installed capacity of nearly 9 GW. “India’s ambition to scale nuclear capacity to 100 GW by 2047, combined with the opening of the sector to private players, presents a major commercial opportunity for US firms,” said Shaswat Kumar, Fellow at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

Private sector players including Tata Consulting Engineers, Adani Group and Larsen and Toubro have already expressed interest in India’s civil nuclear sector.

Small modular reactors and nuclear fusion on the agenda

India and the US are also exploring cooperation in small modular reactors, billed as the future of nuclear power due to their ease of deployment, including through the repurposing of coal-based power plant sites. Both countries are additionally exploring collaboration in nuclear fusion technologies, adding another dimension to the growing bilateral nuclear partnership.