Archive · 20 Jan 2026
DAE Pushes for Light Water Reactors
India is working on making its own Light Water Reactors (LWRs) to sell them worldwide and to get better deals when buying from other countries.
LWRs are popular globally because they are simpler and cheaper to build.
India already knows how to make heavy water reactors (PHWRs), which use natural uranium and are good for India's resources.
The government wants to keep making PHWRs while also making LWRs to be competitive in the global market.
They also want to use thorium, which India has a lot of, to make nuclear power more affordable.
This will help India grow its nuclear power sector and maybe even sell reactors to other countries.
India is accelerating the development of an indigenous 900 MWe Light Water Reactor (LWR) project, started in 2015.
LWRs dominate the global nuclear market, accounting for over 85% of civil nuclear reactor capacity.
India aims to leverage LWRs to secure better terms in imports and boost its nuclear power sector.
India retains expertise in heavy water reactors (PHWRs) and plans to use thorium for fuel flexibility.
The government is opening up the nuclear sector to private participation and aims to become a major supplier of PHWRs and small modular reactors (SMRs).
- Who
- Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Indian nuclear establishment
- What
- Push for indigenous Light Water Reactor (LWR) project and retaining heavy water reactor (PHWR) edge
- When
- Design work started in 2015, current push ongoing
- Where
- India, global nuclear market
- Why
- To tap global markets, secure better terms in imports, and boost nuclear power sector
- Project
- 900 MWe LWR project
- Design Start
- 2015
- Global LWR Market Share
- Over 85%
- India's PHWR Capacity
- 220 MWe to 700 MWe
- Key Advantage of LWRs
- Simpler design, lower cost, higher efficiency
- India's Thorium Resources
- Vast
- Potential Export Markets
- UAE, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Turkey
