Department of Atomic Energy press release · 18 March 2026 · pibtracker filter

Zero Customs Duty to Transform Nuclear Energy Economics, Dr Jitendra Singh Tells Lok Sabha in Written Reply

PRID2241715 MinistryDepartment of Atomic Energy Released18 March 2026 Reading8 min

Dr Jitendra Singh Says Duty-Free Nuclear Imports Will Enable Faster Project Execution and Lower Electricity Costs Posted On: 18 MAR 2026 3:23PM by PIB Delhi Zero customs duty on the import of goods required for nuclear power projects is set to accelerate the pace of nuclear energy development in the country while also bringing down the overall project cost and per-unit cost of electricity, making such projects more viable, particularly those involving foreign cooperation with substantial import content. Replying in writing to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha, asked by Shri Ramesh Awasthi and Shri Ravi Kishan, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, and MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh provided details of the Government’s measures in the nuclear energy sector. The Minister stated that the exemption of customs duty on nuclear fuels and reactor components up to the year 2035 will contribute to reducing both project costs and electricity generation costs, thereby improving the economic viability of nuclear power projects. On strengthening the domestic supply chain for the ten newly approved 700 MW Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) units, the Minister informed that Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has taken several steps. These include placing bulk orders to ensure continuity, expanding the vendor base with necessary support, promoting indigenous equipment for import substitution, reserving certain equipment for class-1 local suppliers, and organising vendor meets with a focus on encouraging MSMEs and giving them preference in bids. Regarding enhanced funding for research and development at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), the Minister said that the increased allocation is being utilised for multidisciplinary technology development aimed at achieving self-reliance. The focus areas include development of new research reactors, isotope production facilities especially for cancer treatment, advanced reactor technologies including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and hydrogen production, accelerator technologies, laser-based applications, and advanced materials and manufacturing technologies. The Minister further informed that, at present, there is no proposal to integrate the PM Gati Shakti framework with the construction and logistics of upcoming nuclear parks in coastal States. ***** NKR/AK (Release ID: 2241715) Visitor Counter : 868 Read this release in: Urdu , हिन्दी Department of Atomic Energy Zero Customs Duty to Transform Nuclear Energy Economics, Dr Jitendra Singh Tells Lok Sabha in Written Reply Dr Jitendra Singh Says Duty-Free Nuclear Imports Will Enable Faster Project Execution and Lower Electricity Costs Posted On: 18 MAR 2026 3:23PM by PIB Delhi Zero customs duty on the import of goods required for nuclear power projects is set to accelerate the pace of nuclear energy development in the country while also bringing down the overall project cost and per-unit cost of electricity, making such projects more viable, particularly those involving foreign cooperation with substantial import content. Replying in writing to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha, asked by Shri Ramesh Awasthi and Shri Ravi Kishan, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, and MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh provided details of the Government’s measures in the nuclear energy sector. The Minister stated that the exemption of customs duty on nuclear fuels and reactor components up to the year 2035 will contribute to reducing both project costs and electricity generation costs, thereby improving the economic viability of nuclear power projects. On strengthening the domestic supply chain for the ten newly approved 700 MW Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) units, the Minister informed that Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has taken several steps. These include placing bulk orders to ensure continuity, expanding the vendor base with necessary support, promoting indigenous equipment for import substitution, reserving certain equipment for class-1 local suppliers, and organising vendor meets with a focus on encouraging MSMEs and giving them preference in bids. Regarding enhanced funding for research and development at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), the Minister said that the increased allocation is being utilised for multidisciplinary technology development aimed at achieving self-reliance. The focus areas include development of new research reactors, isotope production facilities especially for cancer treatment, advanced reactor technologies including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and hydrogen production, accelerator technologies, laser-based applications, and advanced materials and manufacturing technologies. The Minister further informed that, at present, there is no proposal to integrate the PM Gati Shakti framework with the construction and logistics of upcoming nuclear parks in coastal States. ***** NKR/AK (Release ID: 2241715) Dr Jitendra Singh Says Duty-Free Nuclear Imports Will Enable Faster Project Execution and Lower Electricity Costs " /> Zero customs duty on the import of goods required for nuclear power projects is set to accelerate the pace of nuclear energy development in the country while also bringing down the overall project cost and per-unit cost of electricity, making such projects more viable, particularly those involving foreign cooperation with substantial import content. Replying in writing to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha, asked by Shri Ramesh Awasthi and Shri Ravi Kishan, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, and MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh provided details of the Government’s measures in the nuclear energy sector. The Minister stated that the exemption of customs duty on nuclear fuels and reactor components up to the year 2035 will contribute to reducing both project costs and electricity generation costs, thereby improving the economic viability of nuclear power projects. On strengthening the domestic supply chain for the ten newly approved 700 MW Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) units, the Minister informed that Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has taken several steps. These include placing bulk orders to ensure continuity, expanding the vendor base with necessary support, promoting indigenous equipment for import substitution, reserving certain equipment for class-1 local suppliers, and organising vendor meets with a focus on encouraging MSMEs and giving them preference in bids. Regarding enhanced funding for research and development at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), the Minister said that the increased allocation is being utilised for multidisciplinary technology development aimed at achieving self-reliance. The focus areas include development of new research reactors, isotope production facilities especially for cancer treatment, advanced reactor technologies including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and hydrogen production, accelerator technologies, laser-based applications, and advanced materials and manufacturing technologies. The Minister further informed that, at present, there is no proposal to integrate the PM Gati Shakti framework with the construction and logistics of upcoming nuclear parks in coastal States. <img src="https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/image/image001WFUC.jpg" style="height:326px; width:601px" /> <img src="https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/image/image002WP6F.jpg" style="height:321px; width:602px" /> ***** NKR/AK " /> var mPlayer = document.getElementById("background_music"); var mPlayAction = document.getElementById("playbutton"); var isPlaying = false; function playAudio() { mPlayer.play(); isPlaying = true; document.getElementById('stopA').style.display = "block"; document.getElementById('playA').style.display = "none"; } function pauseAudio() { mPlayer.pause(); isPlaying = false; document.getElementById('playA').style.display = "block"; document.getElementById('stopA').style.display = "none"; } //function HandleAudio() { // if (isPlaying == true) { // //Playing already Pause it // pauseAudio(); // } else { // //Play the music // playAudio(); // } //} var synth = window.speechSynthesis; function CleanHtml(html) { html = html.replace(/ /gi, ''); return html; } function stripHtml(html) { let tmp = document.createElement("DIV"); tmp.innerHTML = CleanHtml(html); return tmp.textContent || tmp.innerText || ""; } $(document).ready(function () { //for responsive tables $("table").each(function () { if (!$(this).closest(".table-responsive").length) { $(this).wrap(" "); } }); var width = $(window).width(); if (width $(document).ready(function () { var width = $(window).width(); if (width @media print { .sticky-social, .sticky-social_mb, .pull-right, #printPDF { display: none !important; } } .f_vl { padding-right: 30px; font-size: 17px; cursor: pointer; } .log_oo { // width: 20%; display: flex; justify-content: space-between; } .log_oo img { width: 150px; /*width: 100%; height: auto;*/ } .sticky-social_mb { position: fixed; bottom: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; width: 100%; } .social_mb { list-style: none; 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height: auto !important; } p img { max-width: 90% !important; height: auto !important; } h2 { font-size: 20px !important; font-weight: 600 !important; } h3 { font-size: 18px !important; font-weight: 600 !important; } } /* === Film Roll Badge Styling(IFFI2025 countdown) === */ .film-roll-badge { position: absolute; top:82%; right: 20px; width: 230px; height: 70px; background: repeating-linear-gradient( to right, #9a2375 0px, #9a2375 18px, #6e2b8b 18px, #6e2b8b 36px ); border-top: 8px solid #9a2375; border-bottom: 8px solid #9a2375; border-radius: 8px; overflow: hidden; box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4); animation: moveFilm 8s linear infinite; z-index: 10; } /* film sprocket holes */ .film-roll-badge::before, .film-roll-badge::after { content: ""; position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 10px; background: repeating-linear-gradient( to right, #9a2375 0px, #9a2375 10px, #fff 10px, #fff 20px ); left: 0; z-index: 2; } .film-roll-badge::before { top: -4px; } .film-roll-badge::after { bottom: -4px; } .film-roll-inner { position: relative; height: 100%; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; animation: flicker 2s infinite ease-in-out; } .countdown-text { font-size: 1.3rem; font-weight: 700; color: #fff; text-shadow: 0 0 6px rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.4), 0 0 10px #000; white-space: nowrap; } /* === Animations === */ @keyframes moveFilm { 0% { background-position: 0 0; } 100% { background-position: 120px 0; } } @keyframes flicker { 0%, 100% { opacity: 1; } 50% { opacity: 0.9; } 25% { opacity: 0.95; } 75% { opacity: 0.85; } } /* === Responsive Adjustments === */ @media (max-width: 1500px) { .film-roll-badge { top: 68%; right: 18px; /* width: 220px; */ height: 65px; font-size: 0.85rem; } .press-section { margin-top: 35px; } } @media (max-width: 992px) { .film-roll-badge { top: 52%; right: 10px; width: 200px; height: 60px; } } @media (max-width: 768px) { .film-roll-badge { top: 56%; right: 10px; width: 124px; height: 55px; } .countdown-text { font-size: 0.9rem; } } @media (max-width: 576px) { .film-roll-badge { top: 59%; right: 5px; /* width: 160px; */ height: 50px; } .countdown-text { font-size: 0.85rem; } } const festivalStart = new Date("2025-11-20T00:00:00").getTime(); const festivalEnd = new Date("2025-11-28T23:59:59").getTime(); const countdownElement = document.getElementById("countdown"); const interval = setInterval(() => { const now = new Date().getTime(); // BEFORE FESTIVAL — show days + hours left if (now = festivalStart && now el.style.width = "350px"); clearInterval(interval); } }, 1000); //

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Zero Customs Duty to Transform Nuclear Energy Economics, Dr Jitendra Singh Tells Lok Sabha in Written Reply

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