Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that French companies may now participate in India's nuclear sector [1, 2].

The move signals a major shift in India's energy strategy by allowing private and foreign investment into a traditionally restricted industry. By leveraging French expertise, India aims to accelerate its nuclear power expansion to meet growing energy demands.

This opening occurs under the framework of the SHANTI Act, which facilitates the entry of foreign entities into nuclear projects [1, 2]. The act is designed to deepen strategic energy cooperation between the two nations, a partnership that has long focused on defense and diplomacy.

"The field is wide open for French companies to participate in the Indian nuclear sector," Misri said during a briefing [1].

The initiative is part of a broader economic effort to strengthen ties between New Delhi and Paris. India and France have set a target to double their bilateral trade within five years [3]. This goal extends across multiple industries, but the nuclear sector represents one of the most sensitive and high-value areas of cooperation.

French firms are expected to provide both technology and capital to help India scale its nuclear infrastructure. The SHANTI Act provides the legal mechanism for these private investments to proceed, removing previous barriers that limited the scope of international partnerships in the sector [1, 2].

“"The field is wide open for French companies to participate in the Indian nuclear sector."”

By opening the nuclear sector to French private investment, India is transitioning from a state-led nuclear model to a more collaborative international framework. This reduces the financial and technical burden on the Indian government while strengthening a strategic alliance with France, ensuring a steady pipeline of advanced reactor technology and investment to support India's long-term carbon-neutrality goals.