CHENNAI: The Deccan Centre for International Relations (DCIR), an independent think tank under the Institute for Financial Management and Research (IFMR), in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-Madras), organised a one-day international conference on ‘Building India’s Nuclear Ecosystem: Policy, Technology an Industry’ at IIT Madras on Thursday.The event saw active participation from members of the strategic community, industry leaders, academics, policymakers and other thought leaders. It provided a platform for open dialogue among these stakeholders on an interconnected agenda linking academia, policy, technology, industry, regulation and finance. The conference underscored that only when these elements move together can India build a nuclear ecosystem that is safe, competitive, self-reliant and globally respected.The conference was convened at a time of renewed global momentum for nuclear energy, driven by the twin imperatives of energy security and climate action with countries worldwide revisiting nuclear power as a reliable, low-carbon source of baseload electricity. India stands at a particularly important juncture in this global story, with ambitious targets for expanding nuclear capacity, a long-standing three-stage programme, and a growing recognition of the need for faster, more cost-effective deployment.The technical sessions examined the full spectrum of challenges and opportunities in building India’s nuclear ecosystem. The legal and regulatory foundations underpinning the sector were also discussed.T S Tirumurti, chair, steering committee, Deccan Centre for International Relations and former Ambassador of India to the United Nations, New York, V Kamakoti, director, IIT Madras, spoke at the event. Anil Kakodkar, member, Atomic Energy Commission, spoke on “India’s Nuclear Vision”.A special address was delivered online from Vienna by Andrea Borio di Tigliole, programme coordinator, Department of Nuclear Energy, IAEA.
