India’s leading industrial groups and power utilities are turning to domestically designed nuclear reactors as they look to accelerate projects and avoid the delays, cost overruns and regulatory hurdles that have historically slowed the country’s nuclear expansion.
Companies including Adani Group, Jindal Steel Ltd. and state-owned NTPC Ltd. are expected to initially favour India’s indigenous 700-megawatt pressurised heavy water reactor (PHWR) technology. Industry executives say the proven design, established regulatory framework and largely domestic supply chain could help reduce project timelines and execution risks.
“We have the advantage of a 700-megawatt design that is already standardised and operational,” said Vivek Sharma, business head at Adani Atomic Energy, at the BNEF Summit in New Delhi. He highlighted the technology’s fully domestic supply chain as a major advantage.
The shift comes as India opens its nuclear sector to private investment. The government is targeting a dramatic increase in nuclear generation capacity—from around 8.8 GW today to 100 GW by 2047—as part of its long-term strategy to strengthen energy security and reduce carbon emissions.
Nuclear power currently accounts for only about 3% of India’s electricity generation. Construction delays and rising project costs have historically constrained the sector, making faster deployment a key priority for both policymakers and industry.
Domestic technology seen as lower-risk option
Jindal Steel is also leaning toward indigenous reactors for its initial nuclear projects. Naveen Ahlawat, president and head of decarbonization at Jindal Steel, said the company’s first two reactors would most likely be 700-MW domestic units.
The company is nevertheless evaluating alternative technologies and potential partnerships with international players, including Russia’s Rosatom and France’s EDF. Jindal Steel has set an ambitious target of developing 18 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047.
For NTPC, indigenous nuclear technology is similarly central to its expansion plans. The state-owned power major aims to build 30 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047, supporting its broader effort to reduce dependence on coal.
NTPC’s first nuclear project through its joint venture with Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. will feature four indigenous reactor units. According to NTPC Director Projects K. Shanmugha Sundaram, around 80% of the company’s planned nuclear capacity is expected to use large pressurised water and heavy water reactor technologies.
He also described Indian heavy-water reactor technology as the most cost-competitive option available to the company at present.
Private sector investment accelerates
India’s nuclear ambitions are attracting major private-sector commitments. Gautam Adani has announced plans for 10 GW of nuclear capacity, while Reliance Industries Ltd., led by Mukesh Ambani, has signed a preliminary agreement to invest ₹2 trillion in nuclear projects in Maharashtra.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also set an aggressive near-term target, saying in his Independence Day address on August 15 that India aims to begin five new reactors within the next six to seven years.
With private companies entering the sector and domestic reactor technology offering an established engineering and supply-chain base, India is betting that standardised indigenous designs can provide a faster and more economical path to its nuclear expansion goals.
For the battery and energy-storage industry, the development is also significant: a larger nuclear fleet could provide a growing source of low-carbon, round-the-clock electricity, complementing renewable energy and potentially strengthening India’s broader clean-energy ecosystem.
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