The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) organized a curtain-raiser for the upcoming Emerging Science, Technology & Innovation Conclave (ESTIC-2025) at its headquarters in Mumbai on Thursday. As one of the key organisers of the national conclave, DAE will lead the thematic session on ‘Energy, Environment and Climate,’ one of  the 11 key focus areas of ESTIC-2025.

In a video address during the event, Ajit Kumar Mohanty, chairman, Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), and secretary, DAE, highlighted the department’s pivotal role in driving India’s clean energy transition. He reaffirmed DAE’s commitment to expanding reliable, zero-emission nuclear power capacity to 100 GW by 2047, in alignment with the national vision for Viksit Bharat@2047.

“As ministries, innovators, global visionaries, policymakers, and strategists come together at ESTIC, I am confident that this will serve as a platform for providing a broader vision towards Viksit Bharat@2047 in all aspects,” he said.

He further said that DAE continues to deliver on its core mandate of producing nuclear power, building capacity in the nuclear sector, and creating and operating research reactors to strengthen the country’s scientific foundation.

Sunil Ganju, head, NCPW (nuclear control & planning wing), emphasized that the ongoing energy transition presents a “great opportunity to develop technologies based on deep science”. He underlined the need for a robust energy start-up ecosystem that bridges academia, research institutions, and industry, ensuring that core technologies are developed indigenously and their benefits reach all sections of society.

DAE is also advancing non-power applications of atomic energy, including the use of particle accelerators for radioisotope and radiopharmaceutical production, and radiation technology solutions to address challenges in healthcare, food security, and water and waste management.

India’s roadmap toward 100 GW of nuclear capacity features a multi-dimensional strategy encompassing large indigenous reactors, imported reactors through global collaborations, small modular reactors (SMRs) and advanced systems such as fast breeder and thorium-based technologies. Over the past decade, the country’s nuclear electricity generation has grown by around 60%, while installed capacity has risen by 71%, reaching 8,880 MW across 25 reactors.

To be held during November 3-5, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, ESTIC-2025 is jointly organized by 13 Ministries and Departments of the Government of India under the guidance of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA). The conclave’s central theme  ‘Viksit Bharat 2047 – Pioneering Sustainable Innovation, Technological Advancement, and Empowerment’  is aimed to foster collaboration between scientific institutions, innovators, and policymakers to chart India’s long-term science and innovation roadmap.