Big nuclear play: Rosatom plans multiple projects in India, says cooperation has ‘always been a priority’
Rosatom's Alexey Likhachev said India-Russia cooperation on nuclear energy is a priority, especially amid the geopolitical climate. He also highlighted Rosatom's role in India's plans to boost nuclear capacity tenfold in 20-25 years.
Russian state nuclear energy company Rosatom's Director General Alexey Likhachev believes the current geopolitical climate has given “new reasons and additional impetus” to nuclear cooperation between India and Russia.
Speaking to RT News, Rosatom's head said, “Expanding nuclear cooperation between India and Russia has always been a priority, always on the agenda. But this year, new reasons and additional impetus have emerged.”
Likhachev was in Mumbai to meet Department of Atomic Energy chairman Ajit Kumar Mohanty.
India-Russian nuclear development: ‘Inspiring task’
He noted that the Indian government plans to significantly increase nuclear generation capacity by “tenfold” over the next 20-25 years, “from the current 10 GW to 100 GW, and this is a very inspiring task”.
“Our Indian friends shared with us today, approximately half of these tasks will be accomplished through traditional interstate cooperation and significant part will be implemented, possibly with the involvement of international investment and private capital,” Likhachev added, giving details.
India replaced other countries amid sanctions?
He added, “Part of the Indian localisation was laid down at the design stage and part (was) carried out, as they say, on the fly, replacing supplies from countries that began to threaten us here or actually implement their sanction threats.”
Likhachev was also vocal about “adapting on the fly”, as countries began imposing their sanction threats, adding that friendly countries like India have “replaced” countries who “demonstrated disloyalty to their obligations”.
Russia-India cooperation on nuclear energy: Details
- According to a Hindustan Times report on November 10, citing Rosatom, Russian organisations are developing technical specifications for a new nuclear power plant in India, which will feature the advanced VVER-1200 reactors.
- Another new area of cooperation under discussions is the construction of small modular reactors (SMRs) of Russian design in India, it added.
- It further said that both sides also reviewed progress on flagship project and India's largest nuclear power facility, the Kudankulam plant in Tamil Nadu.
- Discussions also included expanding partnership to develop projects for large and small-scale nuclear power plants and cooperation in the nuclear fuel cycle, with an eye on localising equipment production in India, the statement said.
- “We have built an effective interaction system and a reliable supply chain, which now serve as the basis for further development of new projects — whether for large or small-scale power plants,” Likhachev said in the release.