New Delhi, Sep 25 (IANS): India and France discussed deployment of EPR technology, India’s regulatory reforms for the nuclear sector, cooperation on pumped hydro storage projects, and the way forward for a robust, mutually beneficial partnership, an official statement said on Friday.
The meeting by Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Power, and Bernard Fontana, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, EDF, France, reviewed the ongoing engagement between India and EDF on the proposed deployment of EPR reactors in India.
According to the official statement, EDF apprised the Indian side of its efforts to build an ecosystem and supply chain in India for large-scale localisation, and reiterated that a sizeable programme with multiple nuclear reactors would give suppliers confidence and enable economies of scale by leveraging Indian industry’s capabilities.
Agarwal briefed the French side on the progress made in finalising India’s regulatory framework for the nuclear power sector, including the Draft SHANTI (Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India) Rules and Regulations.
These rules provide for a streamlined, time-bound licensing framework and enable participation of private and foreign partners in India’s nuclear power programme.
The two sides also discussed cooperation on pumped hydro storage projects, building on the proposed NTPC-EDF joint venture in this area, the statement added.
India currently operates 24 nuclear power reactors with a total installed capacity of 8.78 gigawatts and has nine reactor units with a combined 7.5 gigawatts under construction, as the country advances to achieving 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047.
Recent policy initiatives, including the Nuclear Energy Mission (2025–26) and the SHANTI Act, 2025, are accelerating capacity expansion, strengthening domestic manufacturing, promoting innovation and enabling greater private sector participation.
The government has also approved 10 indigenous Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) in fleet mode and pre-project activities for two 500 MW Fast Breeder Reactors (FBR). India’s nuclear programme is guided by a strategy of technological self-reliance, developed to overcome historical fuel embargoes while harnessing the country’s vast thorium reserves.
