India's nuclear programme is dedicated to peaceful purposes and not warfare, Union Minister of State for Atomic Energy Dr Jitendra Singh has said, adding that nuclear energy will play an increasingly important role in powering the country's artificial-intelligence and data-centre expansion, IANS reported from New Delhi on Tuesday.

Speaking in an exclusive conversation on the sidelines of the Bloomberg Economy Forum 2026, Singh recalled the vision of Dr Homi Bhabha, the architect of India's nuclear programme, and said the commitment to peaceful uses remains central as India expands its capabilities. The Department of Atomic Energy, in a release on October 20, elaborated that with India targeting 100 GW (yaani 100,000 megawatts) of nuclear power capacity by 2047 and net-zero emissions by 2070, nuclear energy is expected to complement other sources by providing a continuous and reliable supply of clean electricity.

Linking nuclear power to the next phase of technological growth, the minister said AI and data centres require dependable sources of electricity capable of meeting substantial and continuous demand, and that nuclear energy would supplement India's other energy programmes for an increasingly technology-driven economy. On AI itself, he said it should be viewed as a tool applicable across sectors — from space to life sciences — rather than a domain in itself, emphasising human judgement in its use: "One has to be intelligent enough to use Artificial Intelligence." He added that while regulations are in place, integrity at the individual and national level is fundamental to ensuring the technology is used responsibly and not misused.

(Sources: IANS, via IANS Live and Hi India; Department of Atomic Energy release of October 20, 2026, via FII News)