Mr. Rafael Mariano Grossi, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), met with India’s Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi. During the meeting, the Prime Minister reaffirmed India’s unwavering commitment to the safe and secure use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes and development. He also shared India’s ambitious goals to increase the use of environmentally friendly nuclear power in the country’s energy mix.
Director General Grossi commended India’s excellent record as a responsible nuclear power and praised the nation’s advancements in nuclear science and technology. He specifically highlighted the development and deployment of indigenous nuclear power plants and acknowledged India’s global leadership in civil nuclear applications for the betterment of society. This includes India’s remarkable progress in using nuclear technology to address challenges related to health, food, water treatment, plastic pollution, and climate change.
The discussion also touched upon the role of nuclear energy in achieving net-zero commitments, including through Small Modular Reactors and Micro-Reactors. Director General Grossi expressed admiration for the strong partnership between the IAEA and India. He commended India for its training and capacity building programs that have benefited many countries. Both sides agreed to explore opportunities for cooperation between India and the IAEA in extending civil nuclear technology applications to countries in the Global South.