India has officially advanced its stage two nuclear energy program according to the announcement by its Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Modi hailed a “defining step” in India’s nuclear journey as the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, successfully attained first criticality.
The advancement makes India only the second country in the world, after Russia, to operate a commercial-scale fast breeder reactor.
For decades, India has been at Stage 1, using Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors. The PFBR marks the official entry into Stage 2, where reactors produce more fuel than they consume.
The primary goal of this stage is to breed Uranium-233 from India’s vast thorium reserves, paving the way for Stage 3-the final goal of practically limitless, homegrown clean energy.
Roughly 3% of India’s electricity is generated by nuclear energy.
The recent passage of the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy (SHANTI) Bill, 2025, has allowed the government to accelerate its capacity targets.