Tata unit calls for expanded private sector role in India's nuclear energy

Tata Consulting Engineers (TCE), a longstanding partner in India's nuclear programme for over 50 years, believes the time has come for the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) to recalibrate its role and expand opportunities for private sector participation in nuclear energy development.

Amit Sharma, managing director and chief executive of the Mumbai-based firm, suggested the DAE should emulate the Indian Space Research Organisation's model, which has successfully accelerated private sector growth while maintaining strategic oversight. "The DAE was established to serve national strategic objectives, not to generate electricity," Sharma stated. "It should preserve that core mandate and allow the private sector to lead in nuclear energy development."

TCE has proposed making critical research infrastructure, including laboratories at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Mumbai, available to private companies for testing and developing nuclear concepts. The company cited precedents from countries including China and the United States, where private sector engagement has expanded nuclear energy capabilities.

The proposal reflects growing momentum within India's industrial sector to leverage private expertise and investment in nuclear power, a domain traditionally dominated by government agencies. Such a shift could accelerate technological advancement and reduce pressure on state resources allocated to nuclear energy operations.