Marking a major initiative to build advanced capabilities in Energy Science and Engineering, Jio Institute convened a specialized roundtable titled “Jio Institute-ITER Roundtable on Fusion Energy: Engineering, industry, and India's emerging role in the global fusion ecosystem” on 24 August 2026 at its Navi Mumbai campus. Bringing together leadership from the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), leading industrial conglomerates, and premier national research bodies, the convening examined the engineering, materials, and manufacturing frontiers required to transform nuclear fusion into a viable, commercial source of clean energy.   

The international delegation was led by Dr. Sergio Orlandi, Deputy Director General at ITER overseeing Central Engineering and Plant. Drawing on his extensive background in nuclear plant execution, Dr. Orlandi delivered the keynote address detailing the current operational status of the megaproject, key engineering lessons learned from construction and assembly, and the project’s strategic shifts in assembly, contracting, welding, and qualification testing to optimize schedule and cost performance. He was joined by Dr. Biswanath Sarkar, Scientist at ITER, who contributed insights into technical integration and cross-border scientific execution.   

The high-level discussions brought together a formidable representation from India's industrial, engineering, and scientific leadership. Senior leaders representing Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) included Mr. Ranjay Sharan, Mr. Arun Chakrabarty, Mr. Akhlesh Laharia, Mr. Vibhash Garg, Mr. Jagdish Saraogi, Mr. Amar Kumar, Mr. Ajoy Singh, Mr. Dipak Nimbalkar, and Ms. Shruti Dey. They were joined by prominent figures from major infrastructure and energy enterprises, including Mr. A.K. Dubey (L&T), Mr. C.P. Chandra (Tata Power), Mr. Mandar Umakant Padgaonkar and Mr. Pawan Kumar Rallabandi (Tata Consultancy Engineering), Mr. Vijay Gehani and Mr. Parag Kulkarni (INOX India), and Mr. Niraj P. Bhukhanwala (Bhukhanvala Industries). The national research ecosystem was prominently represented by scientists from CSIR-linked institutions, including Dr. Raja Thirumalaiswamy and Dr. Siva Prasad from CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL).   

The deliberations centered on the reality that fusion energy has shifted from a primarily scientific pursuit to an intensive engineering and industrial challenge. Delegates evaluated critical technological hurdles that demand close academia-industry collaboration, including managing extreme heat fluxes, manufacturing plasma-facing and neutron-resistant materials, developing tritium breeding technologies, mastering disruption mitigation, and deploying remote maintenance systems. Industry leaders also engaged in dialogue on the need for dedicated safety, regulatory, and licensing frameworks tailored specifically to fusion systems rather than borrowing restrictive parameters from conventional fission.   

A major outcome of the session was the recognition of India’s strategic opportunity to expand its role from a specialized component contributor into a primary technological and talent hub within the global fusion community. By leveraging India's strengths in cryogenics, heavy engineering, precision fabrication, and high-performance computing, the participants underscored the imperative of co-creating deep-tech engineering curricula and live industry-led research. Through this convening, Jio Institute reinforces its institutional commitment to emerging energy systems and clean-tech innovation, serving as an academic bridge to prepare the next generation of engineers and scientists for the global clean energy transition.