Kamal Ghorui
India is set to take a major step in expanding its nuclear energy programme, with plans to invite bids for the establishment of a 220 MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR-200), within the next three to six months. The project is considered as a major part of the country’s clean energy transition, officials told ET.Foreign companies will be allowed to participate in the bidding process, but only through tie-ups with local partners, an official said. The reactor design will be standardised, and the first unit is expected to serve as a model for future installations.“A cost of roughly Rs 30 crore per megawatt (MW) has been approved for BSMR-200 as a pilot project,” another official told the financial daily.The BSMR-200 is being jointly developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL). The total cost of development and construction is estimated at around Rs 5,960 crore, to be funded through the Nuclear Energy Mission. After approvals, the construction is expected to take anywhere between 60 and 72 months.Officials said that inter-ministerial consultations are currently underway to finalise the bidding details.The move follows the opening up of the nuclear sector to private investment after the enactment of the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act in December 2025.“A final call on the proposal will be taken by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs,” the official said, adding that domestic firms capable of executing the project on an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) basis have already been identified.The Union Budget had already alloted Rs 20,000 crore to develop at least five indigenously designed and operational small modular reactors by 2033 under the Nuclear Energy Mission.India has also set an ambitious goal of reaching 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047, alongside efforts to strengthen local manufacturing and technology development in the sector.In a recent milestone for the nuclear programme, India’s prototype fast breeder reactor reached criticality this month.
