New Delhi, October 20: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh has said India’s nuclear programme is meant for peaceful purposes and that nuclear power will play a bigger part in meeting the country’s electricity needs, including demand from artificial intelligence (AI) and data centres.
He made the remarks in a conversation on the sidelines of the Bloomberg Economy Forum 2026.
Nuclear power targets
India is aiming for 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047 and net zero emissions by 2070. The minister said nuclear energy is expected to work alongside other sources of power by supplying clean electricity without interruption.
AI and data centres need large amounts of power around the clock, he said, and nuclear energy will add to India’s other energy programmes in meeting that demand.
He said the vision of Dr Homi Bhabha, who laid the foundation of India’s nuclear programme, of using nuclear technology for peaceful ends and national development still guides the country’s approach.
How AI should be used
Singh said AI should be seen as a tool that applies across sectors, from space to life sciences, and not as a field of its own. “One has to be intelligent enough to use Artificial Intelligence,” he said.
The main challenge, he said, is to get the most out of AI while preventing its misuse by individuals or other actors. Regulations are in place, but integrity at the individual and national level is what ensures the technology is used responsibly, he added.
Room for private companies
The minister also referred to the opening of critical and sensitive sectors to non-government players. He said this had widened the scope for private companies to take part in areas that were earlier more restricted and to contribute to technology and innovation.
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