Engineers India Limited (EIL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) to provide engineering services for the conceptual design and engineering of structures, systems, and components of the Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR). The agreement was signed on August 12, 2025, at NPCIL’s Mumbai office.
The signing was conducted by the Director (Commercial) of EIL and the Director (Technical) of NPCIL, in the presence of EIL Chairperson and Managing Director Vartika Shukla, NPCIL Chairman and Managing Director B.C. Pathak, along with senior management from both organizations.
India’s nuclear energy sector is a key component of its energy mix and long-term strategic development plans. Nuclear power is the fifth-largest electricity source in the country, after coal, hydro, solar, and wind. As of April 2025, India has 25 operational nuclear reactors across eight nuclear power plants, with a total capacity of 8,880 MW, contributing approximately 3 percent of the country’s electricity.
The government aims to increase nuclear power capacity to 22,480 MW by 2031-32, and to at least 100 GW by 2047. Eleven reactors with a combined capacity of 8,700 MW are under construction, with additional projects planned in multiple states. This expansion aligns with the three-stage Nuclear Power Programme, initiated by Homi Bhabha, which aims to achieve self-sufficiency using uranium and thorium resources. India is currently in the second stage, involving Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) and fast breeder reactors, with the ultimate goal of deploying thorium-based reactors.
India has developed and deployed its own reactor designs, notably PHWRs, and continues to work on domestic technologies including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs). All nuclear power plants are government-owned and operated by NPCIL, and there are ongoing efforts to amend legislation such as the Atomic Energy Act to allow greater participation from private and state entities. Safety protocols at Indian nuclear plants meet international standards, with radiation levels below global benchmarks.
Internationally, India gained wider access to nuclear commerce after the 2009 U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Agreement, enabling greater collaboration and fuel imports despite challenges related to domestic liability laws. Recent developments include approval for a major nuclear power plant in Andhra Pradesh in cooperation with the USA. In September 2024, Unit-7 of the Rajasthan Atomic Power Project—one of the largest indigenous nuclear reactors—achieved criticality, highlighting domestic capabilities.
Nuclear expansion is integral to India’s clean energy transition, energy security strategy, and its target of net-zero emissions by 2070. However, the sector continues to face challenges such as public resistance, land acquisition issues, and the need for sustained investment in advanced reactor technologies to utilize thorium reserves.
EIL is a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, providing services from concept to commissioning across industrial sectors. NPCIL is a public sector enterprise under the Department of Atomic Energy, responsible for setting up and operating nuclear power plants in India.
