{"id":59607,"date":"2025-08-16T11:24:39","date_gmt":"2025-08-16T05:54:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=59607"},"modified":"2025-08-16T11:42:35","modified_gmt":"2025-08-16T06:12:35","slug":"pm-modi-on-energy-independence-nuclear-expansion-critical-minerals-and-defence-self-reliance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/pm-modi-on-energy-independence-nuclear-expansion-critical-minerals-and-defence-self-reliance\/","title":{"rendered":"PM Modi on Energy Independence: Nuclear Expansion, Critical Minerals, and Defence Self-Reliance"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><b>PM Modi Energy Independence Latest News<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In his Independence Day address from the Red Fort, PM Modi emphasized the urgent need for India to achieve self-reliance in energy and critical minerals.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He linked this to the country\u2019s large petroleum import bill, highlighting how dependency drains resources that could otherwise support development, agriculture, and poverty alleviation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PM Modi announced a landmark policy shift by declaring that the government has \u201copened the doors\u201d of nuclear energy to private participation.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The aim is to expand India\u2019s nuclear power generation capacity tenfold by 2047, positioning nuclear energy as a major pillar of the country\u2019s clean energy future.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>India\u2019s Heavy Energy Import Dependence<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Currently, India remains heavily dependent on imported fossil fuels:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Crude oil imports (2024\u201325):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> $137 billion<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Petroleum products:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> $24 billion<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> $15 billion<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Together, energy imports constituted <\/span><b>22.3% of total imports<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in 2024\u201325, compared to 23% in 2023\u201324, according to data from the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>lakhs of crores spent on energy imports<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> could have been invested in India\u2019s long-term growth \u2014 building infrastructure, supporting farmers, and fighting poverty.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By reducing dependency through self-reliance and clean energy expansion, India could redirect critical resources toward domestic priorities.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>India\u2019s Push for Critical Mineral Self-Reliance<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PM Modi underlined the importance of <\/span><b>critical minerals<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in powering key technologies across energy, industrial, and defence sectors.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He announced that exploration is underway at over <\/span><b>1,200 sites<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> under the <\/span><b>National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So far, the Ministry of Mines has auctioned <\/span><b>24 blocks<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and plans to auction <\/span><b>100 more by 2030<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, experts caution that operationalising these blocks could take years due to regulatory bottlenecks.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To fast-track progress, the government has set up a <\/span><b>Project Monitoring Unit (PMU)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to streamline approvals and expedite mine development.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the same time, India is diversifying its strategy by pursuing <\/span><b>overseas exploration and acquisitions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is supported by recent amendments to the <\/span><b>Mines and Minerals (Development &amp; Regulation) Act<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which now allows the <\/span><b>National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to fund international projects.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>India\u2019s Nuclear Energy Expansion and Private Sector Entry<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In his Independence Day address, PM Modi also announced plans to increase India\u2019s <\/span><b>nuclear energy capacity tenfold by 2047<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Currently, the country\u2019s installed nuclear capacity stands at <\/span><b>8.8 GW<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, contributing just under <\/span><b>2% to total electricity generation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ten nuclear reactors are operational<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with further expansion underway.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The government has also opened the nuclear sector to private participation.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the 2024-25 Budget, provisions were made for partnerships with private companies to finance and build <\/span><b>Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for captive use, though operation will remain with NPCIL.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Full-scale private involvement, however, will require amendments to the <\/span><b>Atomic Energy Act<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the <\/span><b>Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with a task force examining issues such as fuel procurement, waste management, and safeguards.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PM Modi also highlighted India\u2019s climate achievements, noting that the country has met its target of <\/span><b>50% non-fossil fuel electricity capacity five years ahead of schedule<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This marks a significant rise from 30% in 2015 and 38% in 2020, driven largely by growth in solar and wind power, along with nuclear and large hydro projects.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Operation Sindoor and Mission Sudarshan Chakra: India\u2019s Defence Self-Reliance Drive<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Operation Sindoor showcased India\u2019s growing defence self-reliance, with terror networks and Pakistan-based infrastructure dismantled using Made-in-India weapons.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The operation signalled that India would no longer accept nuclear blackmail or external pressure, reinforcing its strategic autonomy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Building on this momentum, India announced <\/span><b>Mission Sudarshan Chakra<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, inspired by Lord Krishna\u2019s legendary weapon.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The initiative is <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">aimed at neutralising enemy infiltrations and enhancing offensive and deterrent capabilities with rapid, precise, and powerful responses<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The government emphasised that <\/span><b>indigenous innovation is key to future security<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, urging Indian youth to develop advanced technologies such as jet engines within India. By 2035, India also plans to expand a nationwide security shield across all public places, highlighting its vision of comprehensive protection backed by self-reliant defence systems.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Source:<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/business\/independence-day-pm-modi-energy-minerals-govt-nuclear-energy-private-sector-10190992\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">IE<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> | <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pib.gov.in\/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2156841\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PIB<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>PM Modi outlines India\u2019s roadmap: energy independence, nuclear power expansion, critical minerals mission, and defence self-reliance through indigenous innovation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":59640,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[60,2206,22,59],"class_list":{"0":"post-59607","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"tag-mains-articles","9":"tag-pm-modi-energy-independence","10":"tag-upsc-current-affairs","11":"tag-upsc-mains-current-affairs","12":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59607","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=59607"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59607\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/59640"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59607"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59607"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59607"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}