India’s Nuclear Programme Dedicated to Peaceful Purposes, Says Union Min. Jitendra Singh

Speaking on the sidelines of the Bloomberg Economy Forum 2026, Singh said India was pursuing an ambitious target of achieving 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047 and Net Zero emissions by 2070, with nuclear energy expected to provide reliable and clean electricity to support the country’s development.

Recalling the vision of Homi Bhabha, the architect of India’s nuclear programme, the Minister said the country had consistently focused on the peaceful applications of nuclear technology and national development.

He said the growing use of AI and the expansion of data centres would require dependable and uninterrupted power supplies, with nuclear energy expected to complement other sources of electricity in meeting the needs of an increasingly technology-driven economy.

On the application of AI across sectors, Singh said the technology should be viewed as a tool for scientific and technological advancement rather than as a domain in itself.

Its applications extended across areas such as space, life sciences and other fields of research, he said.

“One has to be intelligent enough to use Artificial Intelligence,” the Minister said, stressing the importance of human judgement and responsible use of the technology.

He said ensuring that AI was used optimally without being misused by individuals or other entities remained a key challenge.

While regulations were in place, integrity at the individual and national levels was essential to ensuring its responsible application, he added.

Singh also highlighted the Narendra Modi government’s decision to open critical and sensitive sectors to non-government players, saying the move had created wider opportunities for private sector participation in innovation, technological advancement and national development.

The Union Minister’s remarks highlighted the importance of reliable nuclear power, responsible AI adoption and greater private sector participation as India works towards its long-term development objectives.