India developing three types of SMRs; eyes export push after UK trade deal

India is advancing the development of three small modular reactor (SMR) designs, including one dedicated to hydrogen production, Union Minister Jitendra Singh informed the Rajya Sabha last week.

The three designs include the 200 MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR), a 55 MWe SMR, and a 5 MWth high-temperature gas-cooled reactor intended for hydrogen production. All are being indigenously developed. The gas-cooled reactor will be paired with thermochemical processes such as the Copper-Chloride (Cu-Cl) and Iodine-Sulphur (I-S) cycles, both demonstrated by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).

Singh said in-principle approval has been secured for constructing demonstration units, which are expected to take 60 to 72 months after administrative sanction. The BSMR and 55 MWe SMR are planned at Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) sites in collaboration with Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). The estimated cost of the lead BSMR unit is Rs 5,750 crore.

The reactors are designed for use as captive power plants, retrofits at retiring thermal plants, and hydrogen production for industrial decarbonisation. According to Singh, most of the required technology and equipment can be sourced domestically, with DAE providing technical support.

India and the UK recently eliminated import duties on nuclear reactors under the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) signed on 24 July 2025. This is India’s first trade deal offering zero-tariff access for its nuclear technology. The agreement is expected to support exports of Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs), which officials claim are up to 50 per cent cheaper than those from South Korea.

Officials expect the UK deal to serve as a launchpad for Indian SMR exports, especially as the UK targets 25 GW of nuclear capacity by 2050.