India Targets Five Small Modular Reactors By 2033 As Nuclear Expansion Accelerates

India has set a target of bringing at least five small modular reactors into operation by 2033, the government confirmed in a written reply to Parliament on 22 July 2026. The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) is leading the development work, with three distinct reactor designs under way to serve different purposes.

The announcement forms part of a broader push to expand nuclear power and reduce the country's dependence on coal.

Three Designs In Development

The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre is developing a 220-megawatt Bharat Small Modular Reactor and a 55-megawatt reactor, both based on pressurised water reactor technology and intended for electricity generation. The Atomic Energy Commission has approved Tarapur in Maharashtra as the site for both of these projects.

The third design is a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor with a capacity of less than 5 megawatts. Unlike the other two, this unit is not intended for power generation but rather as a heat source for producing carbon-free hydrogen. The government has shortlisted Visakhapatnam on India's south-eastern coast as the location for this first hydrogen-focused small reactor.

The Broader Nuclear Ambition

India currently has 8.8 gigawatts of installed nuclear power capacity, all operated by the state-owned Nuclear Power Corporation of India. The government is targeting 100 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2047, an eleven-fold increase from current levels. Installed nuclear capacity is planned to reach approximately 22 gigawatts by 2031-32, with small modular reactors expected to contribute to that expansion.

Nuclear Power Corporation of India is targeting 50 gigawatts of capacity, while NTPC is aiming for 30 gigawatts. Private companies including Adani Group, Tata Power and Reliance Industries are also looking at investing in nuclear power, following last year's decision by the government to open the sector to domestic and foreign private firms.

India has committed more than $2 billion to develop small modular reactors, which are widely seen as a viable option for decarbonising hard-to-abate industries. Several countries, including the United States, Russia and South Korea, are also developing small modular reactor technology, making it one of the more actively pursued areas in clean energy globally.

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