India urged to review green finance rules, build workforce for nuclear expansion
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India opened its tightly controlled nuclear sector to private companies last year to draw foreign technology and investment.
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India must reassess certain financing regulations and build a stronger talent pipeline to meet its target of expanding nuclear power capacity to 100 gigawatts (GW) by 2047, officials and industry executives said on Wednesday.
Key Takeaways
- India needs to revise green financing rules and build a skilled workforce to hit its target of 100 GW nuclear capacity by 2047.
- NITI Aayog’s Abhay Karandikar said sovereign green bond and green deposit frameworks currently exclude nuclear investment and need updating.
- The sector needs nearly $210 billion in investment to scale up from its current 8.8 GW capacity.
- India opened its nuclear sector to private companies last year to draw foreign technology, and global institutions like the World Bank are reviewing support for nuclear projects.
- A shortage of specialized nuclear education and training remains a key industry concern.
India’s sovereign green bond framework, green deposit, and financing rules need revision because they currently exclude nuclear investments, said Abhay Karandikar, a member of the top government think tank NITI Aayog.
India last year opened its tightly controlled nuclear sector to private companies to attract foreign technology and investment.
The South Asian nation estimates that the industry will need nearly $210 billion in investment to increase capacity from the current 8.8 GW.
Global financial institutions, including the World Bank, have begun reviews to support investments in nuclear projects, Karandikar said at PowerGen India’s event in New Delhi.
The shortage of specialized education and training is a major concern, industry executives said, noting that the country’s clean energy sector already faces a talent crunch.
“There is a lack of nuclear courses in India, from schools to top universities, except for a few premier institutes,” said Kalirajan S, managing director of EDF Nuclear Projects India Pvt.
France’s EDF has been conducting certification programmes with vendors in India and plans to expand them further to help develop a local nuclear supply chain, he said.
NITI Aayog has formed a committee to examine how India can expand its nuclear expertise at all levels — from technicians to research and development, Karandikar said.
Published on September 2, 2026
