Russian state nuclear major Rosatom is in talks with some of India's biggest companies — the Adani Group, Reliance, Jindal and state-owned NTPC — to participate in India's rapidly expanding nuclear power programme, a senior executive told businessline.
Kirill Komarov, Rosatom's First Deputy Director General for Corporate Development and International Business, said private-sector players are keen to access nuclear technologies. The talks follow India's Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act, 2025, which opened the nuclear sector to wider private participation. India aims to raise nuclear capacity from 8.78 GW today to 100 GW by 2047.
Komarov said the scale of the target makes it "very difficult for only one company," referring to the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL), which currently operates and is building most of India's nuclear fleet. He welcomed the entry of private firms, noting that many more companies will be needed to construct, operate and invest in the programme.
Localisation at the centre
For Rosatom, the opportunity goes beyond supplying reactors. Komarov stressed that localisation will be central to India's nuclear expansion, saying the scale of the programme makes it impractical to rely on imported equipment. Rosatom has already reached 50 per cent localisation at the Kudankulam plant in Tamil Nadu and is ready to replicate the model with new Indian entrants.
Rosatom accounts for about 20 per cent of Russia's power generation and ranks first globally in nuclear plant construction orders, with 46 units at various stages across 10 countries including China, India, Bangladesh, Turkiye, Egypt, Hungary, Iran and Kazakhstan.
Why nuclear, why now
Nuclear is a round-the-clock baseload source of electricity with lifecycle emissions comparable to renewables such as hydro and wind, and is positioned to meet the always-on power needs of data centres, advanced industries and emerging technologies. Nuclear currently accounts for just 1.6 per cent of India's 556.85 GW installed capacity, against 45.35 per cent for coal and 43 per cent for renewables.
Sources:
- Rosatom in talks with Adani Group, RIL, NTPC for nuclear power push in India
Kirill Komarov, Rosatom's First Deputy Director General for Corporate Development and International Business, said private-sector players are keen to access nuclear technologies. The talks follow India's Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act, 2025, which opened the nuclear sector to wider private participation. India aims to raise nuclear capacity from 8.78 GW today to 100 GW by 2047.
Komarov said the scale of the target makes it "very difficult for only one company," referring to the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL), which currently operates and is building most of India's nuclear fleet. He welcomed the entry of private firms, noting that many more companies will be needed to construct, operate and invest in the programme.
Localisation at the centre
For Rosatom, the opportunity goes beyond supplying reactors. Komarov stressed that localisation will be central to India's nuclear expansion, saying the scale of the programme makes it impractical to rely on imported equipment. Rosatom has already reached 50 per cent localisation at the Kudankulam plant in Tamil Nadu and is ready to replicate the model with new Indian entrants.
Rosatom accounts for about 20 per cent of Russia's power generation and ranks first globally in nuclear plant construction orders, with 46 units at various stages across 10 countries including China, India, Bangladesh, Turkiye, Egypt, Hungary, Iran and Kazakhstan.
Why nuclear, why now
Nuclear is a round-the-clock baseload source of electricity with lifecycle emissions comparable to renewables such as hydro and wind, and is positioned to meet the always-on power needs of data centres, advanced industries and emerging technologies. Nuclear currently accounts for just 1.6 per cent of India's 556.85 GW installed capacity, against 45.35 per cent for coal and 43 per cent for renewables.
Sources:
- Rosatom in talks with Adani Group, RIL, NTPC for nuclear power push in India
