AP will play strategic role in global nuclear economy: Nara Lokesh

Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh speaks at the US Executive Nuclear Mission to India summit in New Delhi on Monday

 Andhra Pradesh is positioning itself as a trusted long-term partner in the emerging global nuclear economy as rising AI-driven electricity demand and industrial decarbonisation are reshaping global energy strategies, according to Nara Lokesh, AP’s Minister for Education, IT & Electronics.

Speaking at the US Executive Nuclear Mission to India summit jointly organised by the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) and the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) in New Delhi on Monday, Lokesh said Andhra Pradesh was eying significant opportunities across nuclear manufacturing, engineering ecosystems, industrial supply chains, advanced energy infrastructure, and next-generation clean technology partnerships.

“Global energy systems are entering a structural transition driven by AI compute growth, industrial electrification, energy security concerns, and decarbonisation commitments. Andhra Pradesh intends to play a meaningful role in that transition,” Lokesh said.

Nuclear Technologies

Advanced nuclear technologies such as Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and next-generation reactor systems were opening up opportunities far beyond electricity generation, particularly in modular manufacturing, precision engineering, distributed supply chains, and industrial-scale deployment ecosystems, he added. 

He added that India’s engineering talent, manufacturing competitiveness, and industrial scale, combined with Andhra Pradesh’s ports, logistics connectivity, industrial corridors, and execution capabilities, would create a ‘compelling proposition’ for global partnerships. “Andhra Pradesh is approaching nuclear energy not merely as a power sector opportunity, but as a long-term industrial ecosystem opportunity,” Lokesh said. 

Multiple Fronts

The State government was simultaneously building industrial corridors, electronics manufacturing clusters, renewable energy infrastructure, and large-scale digital infrastructure ecosystems, the Minister said adding Visakhapatnam was being positioned as a major AI and data center hub, with nearly 6 GW of data center capacity expected to come up soon.

Andhra Pradesh’s Integrated Clean Energy Policy targets nearly ₹10 lakh crore in investments across renewables, storage, green hydrogen, transmission infrastructure, manufacturing ecosystems, and grid modernisation, according to a release.

Published on May 18, 2026