India Accelerates Nuclear Energy Mission With INR 20,000 Crore Push For Indigenous Small Modular Reactors

India has taken a major step toward expanding its clean energy portfolio with the launch of the Nuclear Energy Mission, supported by an allocation of ₹20,000 crore in the Union Budget 2025–26. The funding will be used to support the design, development, and deployment of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), with the government aiming to commission at least five indigenously developed SMRs by 2033.

The initiative is being led by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), which is developing three different SMR designs for electricity generation and industrial applications. These advanced reactors are expected to strengthen India’s energy security while contributing to the country’s long-term clean energy goals.

For power generation, BARC is working on two Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) designs—the 220 MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR-200) and the 55 MWe SMR-55. Both projects have received in-principle approval for engineering and construction. The Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) has identified Tarapur in Maharashtra as the site for both reactors. Among the two, the BSMR-200 has achieved additional progress by receiving approval for administrative and financial sanction, along with clearance from the Empowered Technology Group (ETG).

BARC is also developing a High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor (HTGCR) with a capacity of up to 5 MWth for industrial use. The reactor will be located at BARC, Visakhapatnam, where siting consent has already been granted. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has also issued the Terms of Reference required for environmental clearance. The HTGCR will provide high-temperature nuclear process heat that can be combined with thermochemical technologies, including the copper-chlorine cycle, to produce clean hydrogen.

According to the government, each SMR is expected to take around 60 to 72 months to build after receiving final administrative and financial approvals. Alongside reactor development, India is also strengthening the policy framework to support the sector.

The recently enacted Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) 2025 Act will introduce reforms that allow greater participation from both government-owned and private companies once the legislation is notified. The reforms are expected to accelerate nuclear energy deployment and support India’s target of achieving 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047 under the Viksit Bharat vision.

The SMR programme also builds on India’s decades of experience in Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) technology. Domestic manufacturers are supplying most reactor components under BARC’s technical guidance. India has already achieved key milestones, including the indigenous development of Advanced Purified Reactor Vessel Alloy (ApuRVA), specialized reactor vessel forging technology, and critical reactivity control drive mechanisms. These advancements are expected to enhance domestic manufacturing capabilities and move the country closer to achieving technological self-reliance in advanced nuclear reactor development.