As part of a broader Nuclear Energy Mission (NEM) aimed at expanding the nation’s nuclear power capacity to 100 GWe by 2047, the Indian government has announced plans to develop and operationalize at least five indigenous small modular reactors (SMRs) by 2033. Minister of State for the Department of Atomic Energy, Jitendra Singh, confirmed the timeline in the Lok Sabha this week, outlining a dual-track strategy that combines the deployment of large-scale, 700-MWe pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWRs) with the development of specialized SMRs.
The SMR initiative is primarily focused on “brownfield” applications—repurposing retiring fossil-fuel power plants, supplying captive energy to industrial complexes, and providing reliable electricity to remote, off-grid areas. The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) is currently spearheading three primary designs: the 220-MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR-200), the 55-MWe SMR-55, and a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGCR) capable of up to 5 MWth, which can be coupled with thermochemical cycles for hydrogen production.
Central to this effort is the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act, 2025, which creates a framework for deeper public-private collaboration in reactor manufacturing and engineering while formalizing the regulatory status of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). To support this, the government is actively engaging with domestic industry to localize the supply chain for critical reactor components, such as reactor pressure vessels and control systems.
The push for indigenous SMRs represents a critical strategic pivot for India, signaling an intent to move beyond the traditional “utility-only” nuclear model toward a distributed, industrial-integrated energy system. By leveraging the SHANTI Act to invite private participation, India is attempting to catalyze an industrial base capable of mass-producing reactor components, a move that could significantly lower the barrier to entry for decentralized nuclear deployment.
For the nuclear business community, this creates a compelling landscape: India is not merely expanding capacity, but is actively cultivating a domestic supply chain for modular designs intended for industrial “behind-the-meter” use. This localization effort serves a dual purpose—it mitigates the supply chain risks inherent in importing nuclear fuel and technology, and it provides a scalable, proprietary platform that could eventually support India’s long-term reliance on its significant thorium reserves, ultimately aiming to achieve a self-reliant, closed-loop nuclear ecosystem.
