At the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) in Kalpakkam, the Indian Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has inaugurated a hydrogen production facility based on the copper-chlorine thermochemical cycle that uses nuclear process heat generated by the fast breeder test reactor (FBTR).
Minister of State in the Department of Atomic Energy, Dr Jitendra Singh has said that the government is aiming to bring at least five indigenous small modular nuclear reactors into operation by 2033. In a written reply in Lok Sabha, the minister said parliament has enacted the SHANTI Act, 2025, which opens the nuclear energy sector to private participation.
The Ministry of Railways has approved the appointment of Anish Kumar, an Indian Railway Service of Engineers (IRSE) officer, as Joint Secretary in the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). The appointment marks his transition from the Ministry of External Affairs to one of the Government of India’s key scientific and strategic departments.
Land requirement for 220-megawatt electric (MWe) small nuclear reactor units could be reduced to less than a third, subject to radiological impact assessment, the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) told the Parliament on Thursday.
India is focused on its nuclear ambitions but a less visible challenge remains. A rare government disclosure sheds light on how the nation handles radioactive waste.