In a significant move for India's energy security, the recent visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to New Delhi has paved the way for a major expansion in civil nuclear cooperation between the two strategic partners. The agreements focus on bolstering existing projects and identifying new avenues for collaboration, directly supporting India's ambitious target of achieving 100 gigawatts (GW) of nuclear power capacity by the year 2047.
What the New Nuclear Agreement Entails
The joint statement issued after the India-Russia Annual Summit outlined several concrete steps. Russia has committed to supporting the full fuel cycle and long-term life-cycle requirements for the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu. Furthermore, both nations have decided to resume crucial discussions to finalize a second site in India for a new nuclear power plant to be developed jointly.
The partnership will also see an acceleration in talks on advanced pressurized water reactors, joint research and development of nuclear plants, and the localization of manufacturing for nuclear equipment and fuel assemblies. This emphasis on joint manufacturing and technology transfer is a key aspect of the deepened ties.
The Backbone of Cooperation: The Kudankulam Project
The collaboration finds its strongest symbol in the Kudankulam plant, India's largest nuclear facility. Built with Russian assistance, it is designed to host six VVER-1000 reactors from Rosatom, aiming for a total capacity of 6,000 MW. While the project faced initial delays, progress is steady. Notably, during President Putin's visit, Rosatom began fuel deliveries for the plant's third unit.
The history of this energy partnership is long-standing, dating back to a 1961 agreement on peaceful atomic energy. Russia supplied heavy water for the Rajasthan Atomic Power Stations in the 1970s. The foundational agreement for constructing the first two reactors at Kudankulam was signed with the Soviet Union in 1988, marking a major milestone.
Why Nuclear Power is Critical for India's Future
Nuclear energy occupies a pivotal position in India's clean energy transition. As a non-fossil, reliable source of baseload power, it is seen as the essential alternative to coal for providing continuous, grid-stable electricity. While solar and wind are intermittent, nuclear power can supply the minimum required power around the clock, making it indispensable for a growing economy aiming to reduce carbon emissions.
Currently, India operates 24 nuclear reactors with a total capacity of approximately 8.78 GW. An additional 6.6 GW is under construction. The government's roadmap aims to scale this up to 22 GW by 2032 before the final push to 100 GW by 2047. To facilitate this growth and attract necessary investment, the government is expected to introduce legislative changes, including the Atomic Energy Bill, 2025, to potentially allow greater participation beyond central government corporations.
The reinforced alliance with Russia, a time-tested partner in this sensitive sector, provides a substantial boost to these national ambitions, offering technological support, fuel security, and a framework for building massive new capacity in the decades to come.
