India should review its green-finance frameworks to bring nuclear energy within the ambit of sovereign green bonds, RBI green deposits and Sebi green debt securities, NITI Aayog Member Abhay Karandikar said, as the country prepares to scale nuclear power capacity to 100 GW by 2047.
The review could widen access to green capital for the sector at a time when India will need an estimated $228 billion of investment to meet its nuclear ambition.
Speaking at the NuclearX Inaugural Forum during Bharat Electricity 2026 at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi, Karandikar said, “India’s sovereign green bond, RBI green deposit, and SEBI green debt securities frameworks currently exclude nuclear energy.” He called for their review to enable nuclear access to green finance, echoing global shifts by institutions such as the World Bank and Asian Development Bank.
He also flagged the need to develop a specialised nuclear workforce. NITI Aayog has set up a committee to prepare a roadmap for capacity building across levels, as the sector expands and requires trained technical manpower.
India currently operates 25 nuclear reactors with about 8.8 GW capacity across seven sites. Projects under construction and planned additions are expected to take capacity to nearly 22 GW by 2032, leaving a substantial gap to the 100-GW target.
Invest India estimates around $228 billion will be required to achieve the 2047 ambition.
Rising round-the-clock electricity demand from new sectors is adding urgency to the nuclear expansion. Invest India MD and CEO Nivruti Rai said India’s data-centre capacity is projected to rise from 1.7 GW currently to 10 GW by 2032, while 725,000 tonnes of green hydrogen has been tendered.
“Nuclear power will be vital for stable, reliable supply,” Rai said, adding that achieving 100 GW will require stronger indigenisation to reduce costs by 30% and bridge technology gaps in areas such as uranium enrichment and small modular reactors.
Central Electricity Authority Chairperson Ghanshyam Prasad said India commissioned a record 64,000 MW of new power capacity last year and is targeting 70,000 MW this year.
“For nuclear, accelerating site identification, streamlining regulatory approvals to under 10 years, and building skilled manpower are crucial to achieving our 100 GW vision,” Prasad said.
With capacity targeted to rise more than eleven-fold, access to green finance, skilled manpower, technology and faster approvals will be central to India’s nuclear build-out.