India bets big on small nuclear reactors for clean energy
India is stepping up its clean energy game with small modular reactors (SMRs).
The government has earmarked ₹20,000 crore in the 2025-26 budget to design and develop these next-gen reactors, aiming to have homegrown SMRs running by 2033.
According to Dr. Jitendra Singh, this move is focused on meeting future energy needs while caring for the planet.
What's special about these new reactors?
The Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR-200) will use advanced pressurized water tech and can shut down safely on its own if there's an emergency—no human needed.
Sites are already picked out in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Plus, private companies are being invited to help set up 220 MW reactors for their own power needs, all part of India's bigger plan to hit 100 GWe nuclear capacity by 2047 and reach Net Zero by 2070.
Environmental safety and waste management are top priorities throughout the project.