Infrastructure

The project is located in Puga Valley, a high-altitude geothermal field in Ladakh’s Changthang region, at over 14,000 feet. Unlike solar or wind power, geothermal energy does not depend on sunlight, cloud cover or wind speed. It taps heat stored beneath the Earth’s surface and converts it into usable energy through hot fluids and steam. For Ladakh, where winter conditions are severe and energy logistics are difficult, this makes geothermal power especially valuable. It can provide a steadier renewable-energy source while reducing dependence on transported fossil fuels.

During the visit, the Minister reviewed the operations of HMT’s Machine Tool Division, Foundry Division and strategic manufacturing sections. He also inspected manufacturing, assembly and testing processes related to CNC systems, precision machine tools, specialised engineering equipment and indigenously developed Sonar Directing Gear systems used for Indian Naval platforms. This defence-linked capability gives the visit a deeper strategic meaning, because HMT is not only serving commercial industry but also supporting India’s self-reliance in sensitive engineering domains.

The policy direction is now clearly visible. India’s Production Linked Incentive framework has become one of the central instruments for converting manufacturing ambition into factory-level investment. Across 14 sectors, PLI schemes had generated investments exceeding ₹2.16 lakh crore by the end of December 2025, while incremental production and sales crossed ₹20.41 lakh crore. The schemes have also resulted in more than 14.39 lakh direct and indirect jobs, with 836 applications approved across the PLI framework.

The latest addition came after the successful trial operation of Unit 2 of Patratu Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd, an NTPC group arm. With this, the group now operates more than 90 GW of installed capacity across India, while also maintaining a large pipeline of projects under construction. NTPC has stated that it has around 32 GW of capacity under construction, showing that the company’s expansion is not a one-time jump but part of a long-term buildout of national power infrastructure.

For decades, India’s nuclear power sector was almost entirely state-driven, shaped by strategic restrictions, public-sector control and liability concerns that limited the participation of foreign and private companies. That structure is now changing. India has set an ambitious goal of developing 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047, making nuclear energy a major pillar of its long-term energy transition and energy security strategy.

Built over 15 acres at an estimated cost of ₹128 crore, the modern plant currently has the capacity to process 2.5 lakh litres of milk per day. According to the official release, this capacity is expected to double to 5 lakh litres per day in the future, giving Madhur Dairy a stronger base for milk procurement, processing, packaging and distribution.

The partnership is significant because lithography is one of the most critical stages in semiconductor manufacturing. In simple terms, lithography is the process through which microscopic circuit patterns are projected and printed layer by layer onto a silicon wafer. ASML’s own technology description says its lithography systems are central to this process, enabling chipmakers to mass-produce patterns on silicon with extreme precision.

The breakthrough is especially notable because AM/NS India has used Submerged Arc Welding, or SAW, to manufacture the EQ70 pipes. SAW is widely used for producing high-quality welds in heavy engineering, but when applied to ultra-high-strength offshore-grade steel, the process becomes technically demanding.

The aggregate business of PSBs rose to ₹283.3 lakh crore as of March 31, 2026, registering 12.8 per cent year-on-year growth. This indicates a broad expansion across the banking system, with both deposits and lending showing strong momentum during the financial year.

The government is working with industry to identify around 100 products that are either not manufactured in India or are produced in inadequate quantities. The focus is not merely on replacing imports, but on building production capacity in areas where India already has industrial capability but faces technology, scale or supply-chain gaps. According to Bhatia, several “unique and interesting” products have already been identified, including auto-sector items such as axles and motorcycle components.