India has potential to be a hub for low-cost N-power equipment: Kakodkar

India is capable of manufacturing least cost nuclear power equipment and the country has tremendous potential to become a critical player in low-cost nuclear power equipment manufacturing, Anil Kakodkar, former chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, has said.

This was also the general view of experts at the 3rd annual session of Visionary Leaders for Manufacturing Programme (VLFM) organised by the CII, in cooperation with the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council of India, and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

 "The domestic requirement for nuclear power in India is estimated at 30,000 to 35,000 MW in the coming 10 to 15 years and, therefore, the nuclear power equipment manufacturing industry has a great scope," Kakodkar said while addressing the inaugural session of the session.

"India has right capabilities for manufacturing such equipments at very low cost and these equipments consist of about 35 to 40 per cent cost of nuclear power generation. Once the nuclear power sector proves its capabilities at home, the international market would be another platform with unlimited opportunities for the Indian manufacturers in coming years, " he added.

On Indian manufacturing sector, Prof Shoji Shiba, chief advisor to JICA Project and VLFM, and a 77-year-old pioneer in creating manufacturing leadership programme in India since 2002, said the Indian manufacturing sector is more receptive and is more mature now.

"I have observed three transformations in Indian manufacturers. Their mindset from small-scale operations has changed to looking at large scale productions, they are also more focused on improving and innovating manufacturing and the last is change in behavioral mindset. From the focus of just running their day-to-day business, they have also started focusing on social issues and inclusive growth," he noted.

"Global economic slowdown had affected the programme last year but with overall recovery, the programme could be completed successfully in August this year. Programmes such as the VLFM, which is an association with IITs and IIMs would certainly bring up the manufacturing sector in India," said Masashi Mizukami, minister (DCM), Embassy of Japan.

Jamshyd Godrej, chairman, CII VLFM Institute and past president of CII, said, "The initiatives like VLFM would raise the bar of quality and standards in strategic industries like, nuclear power components manufacturing. We have to scale up our initiatives and it is possible with the support of institutes like IIM and IIT in India."