📌 Why in News?
India is looking to bring five additional nuclear reactors online in this decade and to increase its nuclear capacity to 100 GW by 2047. Installed Capacity: India has 25 active nuclear reactors with a total capacity of 8.7 gigawatt-electric (GWe). Nuclear power reactors in the country generated 56,681 million units of energy in 2024-25.
Syllabus & Relevance
Prelims: Government Schemes — institutions, terminology and factual features connected with the development.
Mains: GS-2 — contemporary application of the relevant syllabus theme.
Current–static link: Revise the underlying institution, policy or concept together with this development.
Why it matters for India
India is looking to bring five additional nuclear reactors online in this decade and to increase its nuclear capacity to 100 GW by 2047.
Installed Capacity: India has 25 active nuclear reactors with a total capacity of 8.7 gigawatt-electric (GWe).
Consistent Contribution: Nuclear power has always contributed about 3% of India’s overall electricity production.
Planned Expansion: Nuclear capacity of India to increase around 3x in next few years.
Static Foundation
Nuclear power reactors in the country generated 56,681 million units of energy in 2024-25.
Consistent Contribution: Nuclear power has always contributed about 3% of India’s overall electricity production.
Planned Expansion: Nuclear capacity of India to increase around 3x in next few years.
Through international cooperation, indigenous 700 Megawatt (MW) reactors and 1,000 MW reactors are under development, and the installed capacity is expected to touch 22.38 GW by 2031-32.
International Cooperation: India has signed Inter-Governmental Agreements (IGAs) on Civil Nuclear Cooperation for peaceful purposes with 18 countries, indicating the rising worldwide confidence in India’s nuclear program.
Reactors Under Construction: 10 reactors with around 8 GWe of capacity are under construction.
Another 10 units with some 6.6 GWe of capacity are in the pre-project stage.
Data, Reports, Cases & Examples
India is looking to bring five additional nuclear reactors online in this decade and to increase its nuclear capacity to 100 GW by 2047.
Installed Capacity: India has 25 active nuclear reactors with a total capacity of 8.7 gigawatt-electric (GWe).
Nuclear power reactors in the country generated 56,681 million units of energy in 2024-25.
Consistent Contribution: Nuclear power has always contributed about 3% of India’s overall electricity production.
Planned Expansion: Nuclear capacity of India to increase around 3x in next few years.
Through international cooperation, indigenous 700 Megawatt (MW) reactors and 1,000 MW reactors are under development, and the installed capacity is expected to touch 22.38 GW by 2031-32.
Prelims Quick Facts
India is looking to bring five additional nuclear reactors online in this decade and to increase its nuclear capacity to 100 GW by 2047.
Installed Capacity: India has 25 active nuclear reactors with a total capacity of 8.7 gigawatt-electric (GWe).
Nuclear power reactors in the country generated 56,681 million units of energy in 2024-25.
Consistent Contribution: Nuclear power has always contributed about 3% of India’s overall electricity production.
Planned Expansion: Nuclear capacity of India to increase around 3x in next few years.
Through international cooperation, indigenous 700 Megawatt (MW) reactors and 1,000 MW reactors are under development, and the installed capacity is expected to touch 22.38 GW by 2031-32.
International Cooperation: India has signed Inter-Governmental Agreements (IGAs) on Civil Nuclear Cooperation for peaceful purposes with 18 countries, indicating the rising worldwide confidence in India’s nuclear program.
Reactors Under Construction: 10 reactors with around 8 GWe of capacity are under construction.
Mains-only layer✍️ Open Mains Perspective & Answer FrameworkClick to expand ↓
Mains Perspective
Background and key dimensions
- Planned Expansion: Nuclear capacity of India to increase around 3x in next few years.
- Through international cooperation, indigenous 700 Megawatt (MW) reactors and 1,000 MW reactors are under development, and the installed capacity is expected to touch 22.38 GW by 2031-32.
- International Cooperation: India has signed Inter-Governmental Agreements (IGAs) on Civil Nuclear Cooperation for peaceful purposes with 18 countries, indicating the rising worldwide confidence in India’s nuclear program.
- Reactors Under Construction: 10 reactors with around 8 GWe of capacity are under construction.
- Another 10 units with some 6.6 GWe of capacity are in the pre-project stage.
- India’s Three-stage nuclear programme
- Establishment: India’s nuclear journey began shortly after Independence with the establishment of the Atomic Energy Commission in 1948.
- In 1956, Asia’s first research reactor, Apsara, was commissioned at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Trombay.
- India was the second Asian nation to build a nuclear power plant in 1969 at Tarapur, just after Japan.
- India has a three-phase programme of nuclear power visioned by Dr Homi J Bhabha, the father of India’s nuclear programme.
- First **Stage (Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors
- PHWRs)**:The first stage of the Indian nuclear program was the building of a fleet of PHWRs.
- The fissile material for these reactors is natural uranium (U-238) with small amounts of U-235.
Analytical use
- Connect the development with its institutional, policy, economic, social, environmental or security implications only where supported above.
- In a Mains answer, separate the verified development from broader evaluation and use the named evidence precisely.
Way forward
- Base recommendations on the gaps and institutional responsibilities identified in the source-grounded points.
Answer Framework
Introduction
Begin with the immediate development and identify the central institution or policy issue.
Body
- Explain the relevant static concept.
- Present the principal source-backed facts.
- Analyse significance for India and the syllabus theme.
- Discuss supported challenges or implementation gaps.
- Use one named law, report, institution, date or example from the evidence box.
Conclusion
End with a balanced, institutionally feasible way forward without making claims beyond the available evidence.
Possible Mains Question
Examine the significance of “India’s Civil Nuclear Power Sector”. Discuss its key implications and the way forward.