Energy | Nuclear Power | Clean Energy | Government Policy
India Targets 100 GW Nuclear Power Capacity by 2047, Plans Five Small Modular Reactors by 2033
The SHANTI Act, 2025 opens India’s nuclear sector to private participation while BARC advances three indigenous reactor programmes — including a 220 MW Bharat SMR — positioning nuclear as a cornerstone of India’s clean energy and energy security roadmap to 2047.
Published: 29 July 2026 Source: Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India
Nuclear Energy Mission — Key Targets and Milestones
100 GW
Nuclear Power Target
Under the Nuclear Energy Mission by 2047
5 SMRs
Indigenous SMRs to be Operational
Target: By 2033
8.78 → 22 GW
Installed Nuclear Capacity Growth
Current → Projected by 2031–32
SHANTI Act
Legislative Framework Enacted
Opens nuclear sector to private investment
220 MW
Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR)
Developed by BARC
55 MW
Compact Small Modular Reactor
Flexible deployment SMR by BARC
HTGR
High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor
For clean hydrogen production
Overview
India is substantially accelerating its nuclear energy ambitions with a comprehensive plan to operationalise five indigenous Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) by 2033, as part of a broader long-term objective of achieving 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047 under the National Nuclear Energy Mission. The announcement was made in a written parliamentary reply by Minister of State in the Department of Atomic Energy, Dr. Jitendra Singh, underscoring the Government’s commitment to deploying nuclear power as a central pillar of India’s clean energy and energy security strategy.
A landmark legislative development underpinning this expansion is the enactment of the Small Modular Reactor and Hydrogen Initiative for Nuclear Technology (SHANTI) Act, 2025, which for the first time opens India’s historically state-controlled nuclear energy sector to private sector participation. This policy shift is expected to catalyse new streams of investment, accelerate technology development and introduce the competitive dynamism necessary to deliver on the Government’s ambitious capacity targets at the pace required.
India’s installed nuclear power capacity currently stands at 8.78 GW and is projected to more than double to approximately 22 GW by 2031–32 as reactors currently under construction and in advanced planning stages are progressively commissioned. The longer-term trajectory toward 100 GW by 2047 will require sustained deployment of both conventional large reactors and the new generation of modular and advanced reactor technologies being developed indigenously.
⚖️ SHANTI Act, 2025 — Opening Nuclear to Private Participation
The Small Modular Reactor and Hydrogen Initiative for Nuclear Technology (SHANTI) Act, 2025 represents the most significant legislative reform of India’s nuclear energy sector in decades. By enabling private sector entities to invest in, develop and operate nuclear energy assets — including SMRs — the Act fundamentally transforms the landscape for nuclear investment in India.
Key outcomes enabled by the SHANTI Act:
BARC's Indigenous Reactor Development Programme
The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) — India’s premier nuclear research and development institution — is leading the indigenous development of three distinct advanced reactor technologies, each designed to address a specific application within India’s evolving clean energy ecosystem:
220 MW
Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR)
India’s flagship indigenous SMR design, engineered to deliver reliable, low-carbon baseload electricity generation. The BSMR is designed to support grid stability while providing a scalable alternative to conventional large-scale reactors for deployment at diverse site locations.
55 MW
Compact Small Modular Reactor
A smaller capacity SMR designed for flexible deployment across a wider range of site conditions, including industrial campuses, remote locations and smaller grid networks that cannot absorb the output of larger conventional reactors. Ideal for distributed clean energy provision.
HTGR
High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor
An advanced reactor technology capable of producing very high-temperature process heat — enabling direct application to clean hydrogen production through thermochemical or high-temperature electrolysis processes, as well as industrial heat applications currently dependent on fossil fuels.
Nuclear Capacity Expansion Roadmap
📊 Phased Nuclear Capacity Growth — India’s Three-Stage Trajectory
Nuclear Energy Mission — Strategic Objectives
Expanding Nuclear Generation Capacity
Commissioning new large conventional reactors alongside SMRs to achieve a phased, sustained increase in total nuclear installed capacity from 8.78 GW to 100 GW by 2047.
Private Sector Participation
Leveraging the SHANTI Act framework to attract private capital, technology partnerships and innovative business models that accelerate nuclear deployment beyond what public sector investment alone can achieve.
Clean Hydrogen Production
Using the HTGR’s high-temperature output to enable cost-effective nuclear-powered hydrogen production — complementing the National Green Hydrogen Mission and creating a zero-carbon hydrogen pathway for hard-to-decarbonise industrial sectors.
Domestic Manufacturing Strengthening
Building domestic industrial capacity to manufacture advanced nuclear components, reactor systems and safety equipment — reducing import dependence, creating high-value employment and developing exportable nuclear technology capabilities.
Expected Impact of Nuclear Expansion
- Significant diversification of India's electricity generation mix away from fossil fuels
- Enhanced long-term energy security through domestic nuclear fuel cycle development
- Reliable, weather-independent low-carbon baseload electricity supply for industry and consumers
- Support for industrial growth and meeting rapidly rising electricity demand sustainably
- Measurable reduction in carbon emissions across the power sector aligned with net-zero commitments
- Mobilisation of private investment in advanced nuclear technologies and supply chains
- Generation of high-skilled employment in nuclear engineering, construction and operations
- Strengthening domestic manufacturing capabilities in precision nuclear components and systems
Why This Development Matters
Small Modular Reactors represent a qualitative evolution in nuclear technology that addresses many of the constraints that have historically limited the pace of nuclear deployment. Unlike conventional large reactors — which require decade-long construction timelines, enormous capital outlays and very large site footprints — SMRs offer modularity, factory fabrication potential, shorter construction periods and greater siting flexibility. These characteristics make them particularly well-suited for a developing economy like India, where both electricity demand growth and grid topology vary enormously across regions.
The enactment of the SHANTI Act represents a paradigm-level policy shift. Historically, India’s nuclear energy sector has been exclusively state-controlled, with private participation prohibited under the Atomic Energy Act. Opening the sector to private investment does not merely increase capital availability — it introduces competition, commercial discipline and the innovation incentives that private participation brings, all of which are essential to achieving the scale of deployment required to reach 100 GW by 2047 within viable cost parameters.
The HTGR’s potential to support clean hydrogen production is also strategically significant. As India pursues the National Green Hydrogen Mission, having a nuclear-powered pathway to hydrogen production — one that is not dependent on weather-variable renewable energy — provides important diversification and baseload reliability for the emerging hydrogen economy. Nuclear-produced hydrogen, or pink hydrogen, could play a meaningful role in decarbonising steel, cement, chemicals and other heavy industries that face significant challenges in direct electrification.
Source: Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India. Information referenced from the written parliamentary reply by Minister of State in the Department of Atomic Energy Dr. Jitendra Singh in the Lok Sabha regarding India’s nuclear energy expansion plans, the SHANTI Act, 2025 and the Nuclear Energy Mission.
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