"India Targets 100 GW Nuclear Capacity by 2047 via Three-Stage Programme"
Fissile material
material whose atoms can directly sustain a nuclear chain reaction (e.g. U-235, Pu-239, U-233).
Fertile material
material that cannot sustain a chain reaction but converts to fissile material inside a reactor (e.g. Th-232 → U-233).
India's nuclear energy programme is governed by the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, which vests all nuclear matters, safety, security, and fuel cycle management, in the central government through the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), a public sector undertaking under DAE, designs, constructs, and operates all commercial nuclear power plants. The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) oversees operational safety under the Nuclear Power Plants and Research Reactors Safety Rules, 2011.
India's nuclear strategy has always been shaped by a fundamental resource constraint. The country has low-grade uranium reserves but among the world's largest deposits of thorium (Th-232), estimated at roughly 25% of global reserves. This asymmetry drove the design of India's unique three-stage nuclear power programme, conceived by Homi J. Bhabha in the 1950s, which aims to eventually run the entire fuel cycle on domestically available thorium rather than imported uranium.
India is a signatory to the Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS) and the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM). However, India is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which has historically limited its access to international nuclear trade. The India-US Civil Nuclear Agreement (2008) and subsequent agreements with other countries partially addressed this by enabling uranium imports and technology cooperation under IAEA safeguards.
India's three-stage nuclear programme is the conceptual backbone of its long-term energy strategy. Stage 1 uses Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) fuelled by natural uranium. PHWRs do not require uranium enrichment, which suits India's limited enrichment infrastructure. The spent fuel from Stage 1 contains plutonium, which becomes the input for Stage 2. Stage 2 uses Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs), which run on plutonium and simultaneously breed more fissile material, including Uranium-233 from thorium blankets placed around the reactor core. Stage 3 uses Advanced Heavy Water Reactors (AHWRs) that run directly on the Uranium-233 produced in Stage 2, completing the thorium utilisation cycle. This design means India's long-term nuclear capacity is not constrained by uranium availability.
The reactor types currently in India's fleet reflect this staged approach. …
In India, why are some nuclear reactors kept under 'IAEA Safeguards' while others are not?
India is an important member of the 'International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor'. If this experiment succeeds, what is the immediate advantage for India?
With reference to radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), consider the following statements:
1.RTGs are miniature fission reactors.
2.RTGs are used for powering the onboard systems of spacecrafts.
3.RTGs can use Plutonium-238, which is a by-product of weapons development.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Give an account of the growth and development of nuclear science and technology in India. What is the advantage of fast breeder reactor programme in India?
How can India achieve energy independence through clean technology by 2047? How can biotechnology play a crucial role in this endeavour?
Consider the following statements regarding India's nuclear power programme:
1.India currently operates 24 nuclear power reactors with a total installed capacity of 8.78 GW.
2.Nine reactor units with a combined capacity of 7.5 GW are under construction.
3.The government has approved 10 indigenous Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) in fleet mode.
4.India's nuclear capacity target is 500 GW by 2047.
How many of the above statements are correct?
With reference to nuclear reactor fuels used in India, consider the following pairs:
Reactor Type — Fuel Used
1.Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) — Natural Uranium
2.Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) — Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU)
3.Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) — Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU)
4.Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR) — Uranium-233 from Thorium
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Consider the following statements regarding Thorium-232 (Th-232) and its role in India's nuclear programme:
1.Thorium-232 is a fissile material that can directly sustain a nuclear chain reaction.
2.Inside a reactor, Th-232 absorbs a neutron and transforms into Uranium-233, which is fissile.
3.India's thorium deposits are found mainly in the coastal sands of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, and Jharkhand.
4.Thorium utilisation is the basis of Stage 3 of India's three-stage nuclear power programme.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
With reference to India's nuclear fuel cycle, consider the following statements:
1.India follows a closed nuclear fuel cycle, where spent fuel is reprocessed to recover plutonium and uranium for reuse.
2.Most countries, including the United States and France, also follow a closed nuclear fuel cycle.
3.The closed fuel cycle is essential for India's transition from Stage 1 (PHWRs) to Stage 2 (Fast Breeder Reactors).
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Which of the following correctly describes the significance of the SHANTI Act, 2025 in the context of India's nuclear energy sector?
Want the full note, Prelims Facts & MCQ answers?
Create a free account — takes less than a minute.
Create free account