India Accelerates Nuclear Power Push With PFBR Milestone, Indigenous Reactors and 100 GW Target
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New Delhi, August 29 : India is entering a significant phase in its nuclear energy programme as the country expands indigenous reactor technology, strengthens its closed nuclear fuel cycle and prepares to tap its vast thorium resources for long-term energy security.
At the centre of this strategy is India's three-stage nuclear power programme, conceived by Dr Homi J. Bhabha in 1954. The programme aims to move from natural uranium-based reactors to plutonium-fuelled Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs) and eventually to thorium-based reactors using uranium-233.
A major milestone came in April 2026, when the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam achieved first criticality, marking progress towards the second stage of India's nuclear programme. The reactor was developed by the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), with nearly 90 per cent of its equipment and systems manufactured domestically.
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India currently operates 24 nuclear power reactors with a combined capacity of 8.78 GW. Nine additional reactors totalling 7.5 GW are under construction, while 10 indigenous Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) have been approved in fleet mode. Preparations are also underway for two 500 MW Fast Breeder Reactors.
⚛️India is currently operating 24 nuclear power reactors across seven sites with a total installed capacity of 8.78 gigawatts.
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) August 28, 2026
According to the Department of Atomic Energy, nine additional reactors are under construction.
Nuclear energy has emerged as an important component… pic.twitter.com/PeudIyBeuq
India's nuclear strategy is particularly significant because of its substantial thorium reserves, found in coastal regions including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal, as well as Jharkhand. Thorium-232 can be converted into fissile uranium-233 inside a reactor, forming the foundation of the programme's third stage.
The government has also allocated ₹20,000 crore under the Nuclear Energy Mission for indigenous Small Modular Reactor (SMR) development. India aims to operationalise at least five indigenous SMRs by 2033.
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Through the Nuclear Energy Mission and SHANTI Act, 2025, India aims to expand nuclear capacity to 100 GW by 2047, while encouraging domestic manufacturing, innovation and greater private-sector participation.