Key Points
- Government opens nuclear sector to private and foreign investment
- Five priorities outlined for strategic materials ecosystem
- RDI Fund moves from announcement to implementation phase
India has opened its nuclear sector to private companies and foreign investors as part of a broader push to secure strategic materials and reduce external dependence, Union minister Jitendra Singh said on Friday.
The minister of state for science and technology, speaking at the 3rd Global Summit on Advanced Materials, Critical Minerals and Metals in New Delhi, invited international investors including those from Canada to participate in opportunities emerging from the policy shift. The new framework provides room for foreign collaboration and investment alongside greater domestic participation, he said.
Critical minerals, the raw materials essential for manufacturing batteries, semiconductors, solar panels and defence equipment, are now central to India’s energy security, industrial competitiveness and national security, Singh told delegates at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) event at India Habitat Centre.
“We are now much, much more confident about India’s ability to assume a global role,” he said. “The best is yet to come.”
Nuclear sector shift
The opening of the nuclear sector to private players marks a significant departure from decades of state monopoly in atomic energy. Singh described it as an important change in India’s approach to strategic technology and investment, though he did not provide details of the regulatory framework or timelines for private participation.
He also confirmed that the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund, a government initiative to support scientific research, has moved from announcement to implementation. The fund is designed to accelerate private sector participation in strategic areas where industry has traditionally been hesitant to invest due to long gestation periods and uncertain returns.
The summit, themed “Building Resilient Value Chains for a Sustainable and Competitive Future“, brought together government officials, industry representatives, researchers and international stakeholders to discuss how India can secure supplies of materials critical to emerging technologies.
Value chain priorities
Singh outlined five broad priorities for India’s strategic technology and materials ecosystem: heavy investment in research and innovation, building domestic capabilities to strengthen energy security, deeper partnerships among stakeholders, global and recycling models, and a stronger culture of philanthropy for research.
He said India must build capabilities across the entire value chain of critical minerals and advanced materials, covering exploration, extraction, refining, processing, engineering and manufacturing. Domestic resources would have to be combined with international partnerships while developing indigenous technologies that meet globally competitive benchmarks, he added.
The minister called for early industry linkage with research initiatives, arguing that potential commercial partners should be brought on board from the beginning. This approach would keep research aligned with market requirements and improve prospects of commercial viability, he said.
Advanced materials and critical minerals require a whole-of-government and whole-of-nation approach, with industry as an integral partner, Singh said. He cited the use of steel slag for road construction as an example of how government-industry collaboration can turn waste into productive resources.
Clean energy, electric mobility, semiconductors, telecommunications, aerospace, defence and nuclear energy are emerging as major drivers of technological transformation globally, he noted. India is now participating in this discourse with greater confidence and preparing for a larger role, he said.
The minister urged industry and business houses to recognise research as an important form of philanthropy. India needs to invest heavily in research and innovation and develop a stronger culture of financial support for knowledge creation, he said, adding that philanthropy for research is an area where the country can do much more.
Your Questions, Answered
What changes has India made to its nuclear sector policy?
India has opened its nuclear sector to private companies and foreign investors. The new framework allows foreign collaboration and investment alongside domestic participation, marking a shift from decades of state monopoly in atomic energy.
What are critical minerals and why are they important?
Critical minerals are raw materials essential for manufacturing batteries, semiconductors, solar panels, defence equipment and clean energy technologies. They are central to energy security, industrial competitiveness and national security.
What are the five priorities for India's strategic materials ecosystem?
The priorities are heavy investment in research and innovation, building domestic capabilities for energy security, deeper stakeholder partnerships, global and recycling models, and a stronger culture of philanthropy for research.
What is the RDI Fund mentioned by the minister?
The Research, Development and Innovation Fund is a government initiative to support scientific research that has moved from announcement to implementation. It aims to accelerate private sector participation in strategic areas where industry has been hesitant to invest.
