India - World Nuclear Outlook Report

Projection of future nuclear capacity in India in 2050

India has 24 operable reactors with a total capacity of 7900 MWe. Six reactors, with a capacity of 5200 MWe, are under construction, including a 500 MWe indigenous fast neutron reactor.¹¹⁰

India has committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2070. Contributing to this goal, in early 2025 the Nuclear Energy Mission for Viksit Bharat was announced, with the aim to reach 100 GWe of nuclear power capacity in the country by the centenary year of the country's independence (i.e. 2047).¹¹¹

In April 2025¹¹² India’s Minister for Power emphasised that hitting the nuclear capacity goal was central to India's goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2070, as well as strengthening India's long-term energy security.

Actions to be taken for the scaling up of nuclear energy capacity include:

1. Amending the 1962 Atomic Energy Act and the 2010 Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act to enable broader participation by private and state sectors.
2. Strengthening public perception and enhancing awareness about nuclear energy's safety and benefits.
3. Facilitating faster land acquisition through brownfield expansions and repurposing retired thermal sites.
4. Streamlining regulatory approval processes to reduce project timelines.
5. Introducing tax concessions, green power classification, and long-term financing to ensure competitive nuclear tariffs.
6. Diversifying technology choices through competitive bidding and promoting indigenous manufacturing under the 'Make in India' initiative.
7. Securing diversified uranium fuel sources and expanding the vendor base for specialized nuclear equipment.
8. Building skilled workforce capacity by strengthening nuclear education and training infrastructure.

In February 2025 the state-run power company NTPC announced plans to construct 30 GWe of nuclear generation capacity, requiring a $62 billion investment, over the next two decades. Jindal Nuclear Power, a subsidiary of the private company Naveen Jindal Group, has plans to deploy up to 18 GWe of nuclear capacity.¹¹³

New capacity

Large-scale reactors

In the near term, India expects to triple its nuclear capacity to around 22.5 GWe by 2032.^114,115 In addition to the 5200 MWe of reactors under construction, pre-construction activities are underway on ten units with 7000 GWe capacity.

The government has also accorded ‘in-principle’ approval for an additional 32 GWe of capacity, in cooperation with vendors from France, USA and Russia, as well as further indigenous PHWRs.¹¹⁶

Small-scale reactors

In the Budget 2024 speech, India’s Finance Minister announced government support to develop SMRs, referred to as Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs), based on indigenous PHWR technology. The Nuclear Energy Mission aims for at least five 220 MWe BSRs to be operational by 2033, as well as amendments to Indian legislation to encourage private sector participation. The first two lead units of a 55 MWe variant of the BSR would be built at a Department of Atomic Energy site by 2033.¹¹⁷ The country's Bhabha Atomic Research Centre is also developing a 5 MWt high temperature gas cooled reactor for hydrogen production.