We Will Strengthen Climate Resilience, Energy Transition With New Initiatives

New Delhi: The government on Saturday announced new initiatives to strengthen climate resilience and energy transition in the Union Budget 2025-26, including National Manufacturing Mission, High Yielding Seeds Mission and Nuclear Energy Mission.

However, some experts felt the Budget fell short of delivering the bold and comprehensive climate action India urgently needs. Presenting the Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the government will support domestic industries in making solar panels, EV batteries, wind turbines and electrolyzers while working towards producing 100 GW of nuclear energy by 2047.

It will also invest in small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) and develop better seeds to help farmers deal with droughts, pests and changing weather patterns. Sitharaman announced a National Manufacturing Mission to help small, medium and large industries grow under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

“Given our commitment to climate-friendly development, the mission will also support clean tech manufacturing,” Sitharaman said. The focus will be on solar PV cells, EV batteries, motors and controllers, electrolyzers, wind turbines, very high-voltage transmission equipment and grid-scale batteries.

To help Indian farmers deal with climate change, the government will launch ‘National Mission on High Yielding Seeds’. This mission will improve research and create better seeds that can produce higher yields, resist pests and survive extreme weather conditions.

Sitharaman said India plans to generate 100 GW of nuclear energy by 2047 as part of its clean energy transition. “A Nuclear Energy Mission for research and development of Small Modular Reactors (SMR) with an outlay of Rs20,000 crore will be set up. At least five indigenously developed SMRswill be operationalised by 2033,” she said.