Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced at the India-UK CEO Forum in Mumbai on October 9, 2025, that India is opening its nuclear power sector to private sector participation. This marks a significant policy shift ending the decades-old state monopoly in the nuclear industry and inviting private firms to contribute to India's energy development.

Modi emphasised that this opening creates new opportunities for enhanced India-UK cooperation in infrastructure and green energy sectors, inviting UK businesses to join India’s development journey.

Infrastructure development remains a top priority for India, with the government investing in next-generation physical infrastructure. India is rapidly progressing toward its target of achieving 500 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030.

Currently, India has reached about 256 GW of renewable capacity and aims to increase this figure substantially by 2047. The government is also fostering closer cooperation with the UK in strategic sectors such as critical minerals, rare earths, and advanced manufacturing, alongside expanding clean energy collaboration.

On the tax front, India is implementing significant GST reforms announced by PM Modi during his Independence Day address in 2025. These reforms rationalise tax slabs, cutting GST rates to mainly two slabs of 5% and 18%, while introducing a 40% tax on sin and luxury goods to simplify compliance and reduce the financial burden on households and MSMEs. The GST on consumer electronics such as air conditioners, televisions, and dishwashers has been cut from 28% to 18%, and the rate on monitors and projectors is also reduced to 18%.

Additionally, the GST on renewable energy devices, including solar panels and photovoltaic cells, has been lowered from 12% to 5%. This reduction is expected to decrease installation costs, thereby expanding access to sustainable energy solutions for both residential and industrial users. These reforms aim to boost India’s digital economy, encourage technological innovation, and strengthen the start-up ecosystem.

These recent government initiatives showcase India’s thrust toward energy independence, clean energy expansion, and economic reforms to support inclusive growth, ease of doing business, and international cooperation, particularly with the UK. The move to allow private participation in nuclear power, complemented by ambitious renewable energy and GST reforms, underscores India’s integrated approach to sustainable development and economic transformation.

Based On ANI Report