Federal authorities issued the directive during a meeting with state chief ministers last week, citing persistent delays in land allocation as the primary hurdle. While the central government has identified nearly three dozen potential sites for new nuclear reactors, local-level administrative friction continues to impede project timelines. Officials maintain that these approvals are essential to meet the ambitious target of scaling nuclear capacity from the current 8.8 gigawatts to 100 gigawatts by 2047.

This expansion plan follows the 2025 passage of the Atomic Energy Bill, which opened the sector to private investment for the first time. The initiative, branded as the SHANTI program, aims to attract the 19.28 trillion rupees—roughly $204 billion—required to reach the 2047 capacity goals. Beyond nuclear, the push emphasizes battery storage to stabilize the grid as the country integrates more solar power. Recent data from the think tank Ember confirms that solar and battery combinations are becoming economically viable, yet state-level inertia remains a critical risk to maintaining energy security.