India takes a giant leap in the nuclear innovation journey with the development of compact 200 MW nuclear reactors that will power commercial container ships and industrial plants. The initiative is spearheaded by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and will power a turn toward cleaner, more efficient energy solutions. It may even change the Indian Maritime and Industrial Power Paradigm.
Nuclear fission generates heat, which produces electricity.. You can place the reactor wherever you want, even on a ship,” says a top government bureaucrat.
BARC scientists are working on building two reactors — 55 MW and 200 MW — meant to cater to energy-intensive industries like cement production through captive power plants. BARC scientists are building the Bharat Small Modular Reactors (BSMRs) to be safe, compact, and versatile, capable of serving both onshore industries and ships at sea.
“These nuclear reactors are very safe and can even be used to power merchant navy ships,” the official added, without comment on potential applications in nuclear submarines. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/energy/power/indias-nuclear-energy-mission-targeting-100-gw-by-2047/articleshow/124560666.cms
A Strategic Shift in India’s Nuclear Ambitions
India’s current nuclear fleet comprises two domestically constructed nuclear submarines, INS Arihant and INS Arighaat, both with 83 MW reactors, and the third — INS Aridhaman — is at sea trials. The new BSMRs of much greater capacity mark India’s shift toward dual-use nuclear technology — combining civilian energy development with possible defense and industrial benefits.
At the policy front, the government is planning to modify the Atomic Energy Act (1962) to permit private sector investment in generating nuclear power for the first time. The changes aimed at would permit private sector operation of nuclear power plants, front-end management of the nuclear fuel cycle, and import of foreign fuel, all under international safeguards.
Key Legislative Reforms on the Horizon
India is also contemplating amending the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage (CLND) Act, which would cap suppliers’ liability for nuclear equipment and define the term “supplier” precisely as the supplier of key nuclear systems. The government designed these policy changes to attract private and foreign investment in India’s growing nuclear industry while ensuring regulatory clarity and safety compliance.
These changes are likely to speed up the deployment of reactors, foster public-private partnerships, and promote indigenous production of nuclear technology.
Toward a 100 GW Nuclear Future
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the ambitious goal of coming to 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047 from the existing 8.8 GW. Experts view the growth of modular reactors like the BSMR as crucial to achieving this goal, especially as India seeks to cut carbon emissions and strengthen its energy independence.
However, it will be interesting to see how India positions itself as a global leader in small modular reactor innovation – an area increasingly considered the future of clean, reliable, and transportable power — by integrating compact reactor technology with policy liberalization.
Indeed, as the world seeks scalable zero-carbon solutions, India’s 200 MW ship-compatible reactors will come to stand for much more than a first within its domestic nuclear advancement – but for a new exportable frontier in sustainable power.
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