Key Details
In a written reply to the Lok Sabha on 12 August 2026, the Department of Atomic Energy outlined how the Nuclear Energy Mission and the SHANTI Act, 2025 are intended to expand generation while developing domestic reactor technology, manufacturing capacity and fuel-cycle capabilities. The 100 GWe ambition is a 2047 target, while the five-reactor commitment relates specifically to indigenous Small Modular Reactors targeted for 2033.
Capacity ambition: Expand nuclear generation capacity to 100 gigawatts electrical (GWe) by 2047.
Nearer-term technology target: Develop and operationalise at least five indigenous SMRs by 2033.
Large-reactor pathway: Continue deploying indigenous 700 megawatts electrical (MWe) Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors and advanced reactors at greenfield sites.
Private participation: Open wider roles in manufacturing, engineering, research and supply chains while retaining nuclear safety, security and safeguards.
Long-term fuel strategy: Progress from uranium-based reactors to fast breeders and eventually larger-scale use of thorium-derived uranium-233.
SMRs Will Complement Large Nuclear Reactors
The Government is pursuing large reactors and Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in parallel. Large indigenous reactors will continue to provide grid-scale capacity, while SMRs are being developed for applications where large plants may be less suitable, including:
retiring fossil-fuel power sites;
captive power for energy-intensive industries;
remote or off-grid locations; and
industrial heat and hydrogen production.
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) is developing a 220 MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor and 55 MWe SMR-55 for electricity generation, alongside a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor of up to 5 MWth that could support hydrogen production.
These designs remain under development; commercial SMR construction has not been announced.
What Is an SMR? A Small Modular Reactor has lower capacity than a conventional large nuclear plant and is designed for greater factory fabrication and modular deployment. Smaller capacity does not imply lower safety requirements.
Private Participation Will Extend Across the Nuclear Supply Chain
The SHANTI Act, 2025 provides the legislative basis for wider public and private participation in nuclear manufacturing, engineering, R&D, technology commercialisation and supply chains.
Indian firms have already developed reactor-pressure-vessel forgings and reactivity-control drive mechanisms, with further equipment being developed with industry and start-ups.
The Act also gives statutory status to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). Stronger regulatory capacity becomes particularly important as the sector accommodates more technologies and commercial participants.
Thorium Remains a Long-Term, Sequential Strategy
Thorium cannot directly fuel the planned nuclear expansion. It is a fertile material that must first be converted into fissile uranium-233.
India’s three-stage programme therefore remains sequential:
Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors use natural uranium and produce plutonium.
Fast Breeder Reactors use plutonium to generate additional fissile material.
A sufficiently developed breeder fleet enables wider thorium-to-uranium-233 fuel cycles.
India has already irradiated thorium fuel, recovered uranium-233 and used it in the KAMINI research reactor at Kalpakkam. Commercial-scale thorium power, however, remains dependent on progress in the fast-breeder stage.
The 100 GWe Target Requires an Industrial Ecosystem
Reaching 100 GWe will require more than new reactor designs. Capacity must expand across construction, component manufacturing, nuclear fuel, skilled personnel, finance, waste management and regulation.
Brownfield SMRs could reuse some infrastructure at retiring power stations, but deployment remains subject to site-specific safety assessment. Factory fabrication could also reduce construction complexity, but its economics depend on producing multiple standardised units at scale.
The roadmap additionally includes an Isotope Production Reactor, extending the nuclear programme beyond electricity generation into domestic medical-isotope production.
Policy Relevance
Execution will define the credibility of the 2033 commitment. Reactor designs must progress through testing, regulatory review, site approval, construction and operational demonstration within a relatively short period.
SMR economics depend on replication. Cost reductions are more likely when standardised designs are manufactured repeatedly, rather than adapted extensively for individual projects.
Private participation changes the regulatory landscape. Clear rules will be required for licensing, nuclear liability, fuel handling, waste management, cybersecurity and decommissioning.
A dependable order pipeline can deepen domestic manufacturing. Visibility over future projects would help suppliers justify investment in nuclear-grade components, quality assurance and specialised personnel.
Thorium represents strategic potential rather than near-term capacity. Its commercial role depends on progress in fast-breeder reactors and the closed fuel cycle needed to produce uranium-233.
Capacity targets must be supported by system-wide preparation. Financing, construction capability, fuel availability, skilled personnel and an adequately resourced independent regulator will all influence the pace of expansion.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: What financing framework and regulatory capacity will be required to convert indigenous SMR designs and private-sector participation into operating nuclear capacity by 2033?
Follow the Full Parliamentary Reply Here: PIB: Government’s Roadmap for a Self-Reliant Nuclear Energy Ecosystem