New Delhi: India and Russia have opened a fresh chapter in their civil nuclear partnership, with talks now extending to the possible construction of small modular reactors (SMRs) of Russian design in India, Minister for State Dr Jitendra Singh informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, outlining the outcomes of a November 10 meeting between the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and Rosatom.
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According to a written reply by the minister in response to a question raised in the House, the two sides reviewed a broader cooperation agenda that spans large and small nuclear power projects, as well as new areas in the nuclear fuel cycle. The discussions also touched on expanding localisation in India, with both sides examining opportunities to manufacture equipment domestically.
The government noted that its Nuclear Energy Mission, announced in the 2025–26 Budget with an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore, places strong emphasis on building and deploying five indigenous SMRs by 2033. Design and development work is already underway at BARC on three reactor types: the 200 MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR-200), the 55 MWe SMR-55, and a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor of up to 5 MWth aimed at hydrogen production.
The first set of these reactors is planned to be built at a DAE site as demonstration units. Their construction timelines are estimated at 60 to 72 months after project sanction, according to the ministry.
Progress also continues on the Bharat Small Reactor (BSR) initiative meant for industrial users, the minister told the House. NPCIL floated a Request for Proposal on December 31, 2024 as part of a government-approved business model. A pre-proposal meeting held in February 2025 led to a series of clarifications, which were subsequently published on the NPCIL website. The deadline for submitting proposals has now been extended to March 31, 2026 after companies sought additional time.
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The government further informed Parliament that the draft Atomic Energy Bill 2025 is in the final stages of inter-ministerial consultation and legal vetting. Inputs from various ministries are being incorporated, along with guidance on policy directives, before the bill is moved for approvals.