India’s nuclear energy mission: ₹20,000 crore provision, BARC to deploy rectors, 100 GW capacity goal — Latest updates

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget 2026 speech in February announced continued emphasis on India’s Nuclear Energy Mission, with an outlay of ₹Rs 20,000 crore for research, design, development and deployment of small modular reactors (SMR).

Today, Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (MoS) for Atomic Energy and Space in a written reply in the Lok Sabha shared that the Department of Atomic Energy’s Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC) has undertaken design and development works on these SMRs.

According to an official statement from the department, the SMRs include:

• 220 MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR-200),
• 55 MWe Small Modular Reactor (SMR-55), and
• Up to 5 MWth High temperature gas cooled reactor (HTGCR) meant for hydrogen generation.
• “The lead units of these SMRs will be established at DAE sites for technology demonstration,” it added.

Nuclear Energy Mission: Breakdown of outlay allocation

The DAE also provided an estimated allocation of funds by BARC towards setting up of these SMRs:

What is the progress so far?

The minister in his Lok Sabha reply noted the following progress:

• BSMR-200: In principle approval has been received for the project from the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). It has also cleared the proposal for administrative and financial sanction for submission to the Cabinet Committee.
• SMR-55: In principle approval has been received for the project.

• HTGCR: In principle approval has been received for the project. Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been prepared. Siting consent has been received and Terms of Reference (ToR) for obtaining environmental clearances has been received from Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).

SMRs being developed indigenously: Atomic Energy Department

Further the statement noted that the Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR) is being jointly designed and developed by BARC and Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL). “Estimated time for construction of BSMR is 60 to 72 months from receipt of administrative and financial approval,” the minister said.

Further, special material called “Advanced Purified Reactor Vessel Alloy” (ApuRVA) and technology required to forge reactor pressure vessels of the BSMR-200 and SMR-55; and the control rod drive mechanism have been developed indigenously, in collaboration with Indian industries.

“Necessary technology for deployment of these reactors is available in the country. Majority of equipment are within manufacturing capability of Indian industries with technological handholding by BARC. Therefore, Indian industries will be engaged in manufacturing of equipment,” Singh said in his response.

Nuclear power generation — Latest update

Responding to another question on nuclear power generation, Singh said that India has imported a total of 18842.60 MTs of Uranium in the form of Uranium Ore Concentrate, Natural UO2 pellets and Enriched UO2 pellets from FY09 to FY25, under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Safeguards.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha today, the minister said that discussions are in progress with US technology partners to arrive at a viable project proposal. “The project construction will commence on finalization of the project proposal and its approval by the Government,” he stated.

Nuclear power roadmap to reach 100 GW capacity

In his response, Singh said that the Center has formulated a roadmap to reach 100 GW nuclear power capacity from the present 8.78 GW (excluding RAPS-1). This is expected to reach about 22 GW by 2031-32 on progressive completion of projects.

Further, another 32 GW of nuclear power capacity is envisaged to be set up beyond 2032 by NPCIL, comprising of indigenous Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR) and Light Water Reactors (LWR) with foreign cooperation by 2047 taking the capacity to about 54 GW.

The balance of 46 GW is expected to be set up by other Public Sector Enterprises (Central and State), State Governments, Private sector and Joint Ventures in different business models, comprising of reactors of different technologies.

All data as per the Department of Atomic Energy on 11 March 2026.