Wedoany.com Report-Sept. 24, Framatome, a French nuclear company, has opened a new operations base in Navi Mumbai, India, just before the second meeting of the India-France bilateral nuclear energy task force. The inauguration highlights Framatome's dedication to expanding its role in India's nuclear sector and supporting the country's target of achieving 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047.

The base builds on Framatome's existing presence through subsidiaries like Jeumont Electric and Corys. Grégoire Ponchon, CEO of Framatome, stated: "Framatome has been present in India for years through local subsidiaries Jeumont Electric and Corys. We are delighted to expand our presence in the country as it embarks on a new phase of nuclear energy development. India offers a wealth of engineering talent and, to support our expansion, we plan to hire more skilled professionals, strengthening our team and capabilities in India and complementing our global strategy."

India currently operates 25 nuclear reactors with an installed capacity of nearly 9 GW, generating about 3% of the nation's electricity. To advance clean energy and decarbonization efforts, India has approximately 13 GW of nuclear projects under various stages of construction, which will raise the total capacity to more than 22 GW.

Navnith Nair, CEO of Framatome India, said: "Currently, we support Framatome's global projects by offering multi-disciplinary engineering capabilities in mechanical, process, electrical, and instrumentation & control domains. Beyond that, we are eager to collaborate with Indian utilities and partners, leverage our global expertise, and contribute to both existing plant life extensions and, in coordination with the EDF Group, new nuclear builds as the sector evolves."

The task force meeting occurred on September 22 in New Delhi, co-chaired by India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Anne-Marie Descôtes, Secretary-General of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. The discussions reviewed progress from the past year through consultations and affirmed ongoing cooperation in civil nuclear energy. Both sides committed to continued dialogue on key aspects and emphasized engagement in emerging technologies, including Small and Advanced Modular Reactors (SMRs/AMRs), as outlined in the February 2025 Declaration of Intent.

The Declaration of Intent was signed by French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during talks in France. Their joint statement recognized the strong India-France civil nuclear ties and cooperation on peaceful nuclear energy uses, particularly the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant Project—a proposed six-unit EPR facility in Maharashtra.

This partnership supports India's nuclear expansion while fostering technological collaboration. Framatome's new base enhances local engineering support, contributing to sustainable energy development and mutual advancements in nuclear innovation.