Kakodkar urges the diplomatic community to push for India to become a member of the NSG

Anil Kakodkar, member of the Atomic Energy Commission, during a conference at IIT-Madras on Thursday, October 8, 2026. | Photo credit: Johan Sathyadas J

Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) member Anil Kakodkar on Thursday urged the country’s diplomatic community to push for India to become a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), despite the country benefiting only from an exemption. Addressed the International Conference on “Building India’s Nuclear Ecosystem – Policy, Technology & Industry” organized by Indian Institute of Technology – Madras (IIT-M) and Deccan Center for International Relations (DCIR) in Chennai.

“Thanks to the NSG exemption, we are now getting a lot of uranium from the international market. But it is only an exemption. It is not a membership. This exemption can be reversed without much difficulty. I request all those involved in diplomacy to make sure that we get NSG membership because that is what will de-risk the availability of such a big risky program in uranium development,” Mr Kakodkar said. He called for accelerating efforts to bring thorium into power generation earlier.

Pointing to certain restrictions in the Sustainable Use and Development of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Act 2025 (aka SHANTI Act), Mr. Kakodkar said that certain aspects are restricted and allowed only for the government. “There are legitimate reasons for that. But the question is how do you design a nuclear reactor de novo in such a situation? I think we need to put our heads together. I don’t find it clear enough.” For example, the molten salt reactor was where the back-end activities took place directly inside the reactor system, but the SHANTI Act did not allow that, legally, he pointed out.

Former Permanent Representative of India to the UN and Chairman of the DCIR Steering Committee TS Tirumurti said that nuclear power is experiencing a renewed momentum around the world. “Issues such as private equity, advanced manufacturing, and international cooperation have become increasingly important in the nuclear environment. India stands at a particularly important juncture in this global story. With ambitious goals for expanding nuclear capacity, a long-term three-phase program, and growing recognition of the need for a faster and more cost-effective deployment, we must actively shape the next chapter of our nuclear journey.”

Professor Manu Santhanam of the Department of Civil Engineering said that IIT-M is incubating several startups. He expected some startups to grow in the nuclear sector, given the SHANTI Act, which he said has paved the way for ideas emerging from young people. DCIR Principal Adviser Balasubramanian C said the global nuclear landscape is experiencing a clear recovery. According to him, India stood at a pivotal moment to build a self-sustaining, technology-driven nuclear ecosystem.

Published – October 9, 2026 0:07 AM IST