Larsen & Toubro’s chairman has called for private sector participation across India’s nuclear value chain, from mining to fuel processing and plant construction. The statement has reignited debate on whether India’s atomic energy ambitions can be met without loosening the state’s monopoly.
India’s current nuclear capacity remains modest at 8.7GW, far below targets. Projects have long suffered delays due to financing, technology lock-ins, and limited public sector capacity. By contrast, global leaders like EDF, Rosatom, and KEPCO rely heavily on private contractors for scale and efficiency. L&T, with decades of engineering experience, argues that excluding private firms is stifling innovation and slowing execution.
The appeal comes as NTPC has partnered NPCIL for a new project in Rajasthan, underscoring the state’s recognition that nuclear must be part of the transition mix. Yet even NTPC’s entry reflects the constraints of a public-only model. L&T’s pitch is that opening the sector could accelerate capacity addition, reduce costs, and align India with international practice.
Sceptics caution that nuclear carries reputational and safety risks, and the legal framework for private involvement remains unclear. Unlike in renewables, where private players thrive under competitive bidding, nuclear requires sovereign guarantees.
Still, the pressure is mounting. With India’s power demand surging and coal’s dominance politically fraught, nuclear is seen as the only scalable baseload alternative. If private participation is approved, it could catalyse a new wave of investment and reposition India’s nuclear programme from slow-moving to globally competitive.