The government aims to bring at least five indigenous small modular nuclear reactors into operation by 2033, the Minister of State in the Department of Atomic Energy said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. Parliament has enacted the SHANTI Act, 2025, which the minister said opens the nuclear energy sector to private participation. The move is part of a wider Nuclear Energy Mission that seeks to expand capacity over coming decades.

Bhabha Atomic Research Centre is developing a 220 megawatt (MW) Bharat Small Modular Reactor, a 55 MW reactor and a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor intended to produce hydrogen, the minister said. The small modular reactor designs are intended to provide flexible capacity and to support industrial and regional grid needs as they become commercially available. Researchers and agencies are working on licensing and demonstration pathways for the indigenous designs.

The government has drawn up a roadmap to reach 100 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity by 2047 under the mission. According to the roadmap, the present nuclear power capacity of eight point seven eight gigawatts is expected to reach about 22 gigawatts by 2031-32 as projects now at various stages progress to completion. The minister outlined timelines that link progressive plant commissioning to project implementation schedules.

Officials said the plan combines large scale reactors and modular units to meet baseload and distributed needs while enabling private participation and technology development. The SHANTI Act framework is designed to allow new investors to enter the sector under regulatory oversight and to coordinate with research institutions. The government said the initiative aims to accelerate deployment while maintaining safety, regulatory and non-proliferation norms. Regulators will set safety and performance criteria for modular designs before commercial rollout.