The recent test by India of a missile equipped with multiple independent targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs) may be attributed as a formidable milestone for nuclear power in Asia. The unique technological development of MIRV ~ efficiently capable of penetrating enemy missile defences ~ opened a new chapter in the country’s nuclear doctrine. India’s successful missile test maintaining a delicate balance of power in the adjoining areas will foster a stable and peaceful future.

The MIRV technology has many strategic advantages: a single missile is capable of destroying several targets simultaneously. It must be borne in mind that the deployment of MIRV is an intricately sensitive issue, the integration of which eventually multiplies its strategic value. Hopefully India will go ahead with MIRV, not for retaliation but for peace and prosperity of the sub-continent in a cogent ambience. India is poised to move forward in a pragmatic way for the proliferation of its nuclear power as well. As a matter of fact, India would increase its nuclear energy capacity three times in the next ten years with a view to reduce its carbon footprint.

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The bilateral cooperation between India and the US will be enhanced to achieve the desired results in sectors like bio-fuels and green hydrogen to embrace clean energy. The nuclear power capacity of India at present is 6,780 MW and is expected to reach 22,480 MW by 2031.This would eventually strengthen not only the country’s nuclear power and clean energy but also meaningfully act as formidable equipment in boosting agriculture and health care. It will further stimulate the economy of our country, promoting new job opportunities and accelerating research projects.

It must be borne in mind that nuclear energy is envisaged as the second largest low carbon-intensive electricity production method, and with numerous advantages including its inherent potential of energy transition, capable of regulating energy supply and the demand matrix cogently. In comparison to other forms of renewable energy, nuclear energy is considered to be beneficial for several reasons. In fact, the land footprint used by nuclear energy is 360 times less in comparison to wind farms and occupies 75 times less land as compared to solar photovoltaic cell (PVC) power plants.

On the other hand, harnessing wind power and PVC plants is exclusively dependent on climate conditions and this is often considered an impediment in the generation of power. India’s nuclear energy production and utilization need be envisioned as a weapon for peaceful purposes, with an ambitious three-staged closed cycle fuel programme, in which fuel is reused and recycled in order to derive maximum efficiency.

India’s rank is third in the world so far as generation of electricity is concerned by producing 1207 TWh of electricity. To be more precise, it transpires that the idea of proliferation of nuclear energy in India is truly germane. The ambitious, succinct and quintessential plan is heartening indeed. India is committed to build up 12 new nuclear power reactors in the country, nine of which are already under construction. To make the project viable and yield tangible results, the Atomic Energy Department has already substantially enhanced its budget and the government is determined to increase the allotment in the next 10 years.

This will eventually reduce the Global Green House Gases (GHG) contribution by India which is near 6.55 per cent at present. A few years ago, India and Uzbekistan entered into a long term contract to supply uranium ore concentrates to fuel nuclear reactors. India has been working earnestly on securing a stockpile of nuclear fuel for its strategic uranium reserve to sustain the country’s nuclear reactors efficiently for the next five years. This would ensure the reactors do not stop functioning unlike during the fuel crisis that had happened after the Pokhran II nuclear test. India currently procures uranium from Canada and Uzbekistan. Three questions are pertinent.

First, is it necessary to import nuclear fuel and to install new nuclear reactors in India? Secondly, what would be the technology and how safe is it? Last but not the least, India has the world’s largest thorium reserves. Instead of importing uranium from other countries, why should we not use thorium as a feasible source of clean energy? The answer to the first question is obviously ~ yes. The demand for electricity is growing. We need this energy for our agriculture, industries, biotechnology and rural development. To that extent, nuclear energy which at present contributes 3 per cent needs to be increased to about 8 per cent. Nuclear power is the fourthlargest source of electricity in India after thermal, hydroelectric and renewable sources of energy.

India’s 22 nuclear reactors in operation at 7 sites, have an installed capacity of 6780MW, and produce a total of 30,292.91 GWh of electricity. Eleven more reactors are under construction to generate an additional 8100 MW of electricity. The energy derived from atomic power plants is however not a new phenomenon in India. We have reactors in Tarapur, Kalpakkam and Rajasthan. The fuel required for the reactor is uranium metal (atomic weight 235). The Nuclear Supplier Groups (NSG) countries like Australia and Canada supply the uranium fuel.

In the reactor, speedy neutron strikes uranium (235) and the fission process starts. During the entire course of the fission process, the reactor is covered with a wall of heavy concrete or steel in order to prevent the escape of radioactive rays in the atmosphere. Continuous monitoring of leakage emissions must be imperative so that radiations do not pose any danger to the environment. A simplified version of the technology of the reactor just described is known as a Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR). Other than this, there are Heavy Water Reactors (HWR), Pressurised and Advanced Light water Reactors (PWR and ALWR). Hopefully the new technology would be expected to eliminate the risk associated with disposal of nuclear wastes.

However, it would be prudent to review radioactive waste management, conservation of water resources and radiation leakage very cautiously, from time to time. Proper environmental impact assessment also needs to be done. India has the world’s largest thorium reserves (25 per cent of the global reserves); 10.70 million tons of Monazite which contains 963,000 tons of Thorium dioxide. But this fuel needs three stage processes which could convert it into uranium pellets in nuclear fuel assembly. India is yet to develop a suitable mechanism and sophisticated technology for taking the benefit of large reserves of thorium. Research in this field is underway. The next generation atomic power plant is likely to be very different from the present one.

America’s GE and Westinghouse, and AREVA of France have claimed that new design reactors would be simpler and safer, and their maintenance would not pose any serious problem. The Chernobyl disaster had spread radioactive emissions and the nuclear industry lost its momentum. An accident occurred also at Three Miles Island, in Pennsylvania which left people in the lurch. Britain, Germany, Japan, Sweden and many other countries have had horrible experiences too. Now the situation has changed considerably. New technology, economics and mostly geopolitics have made it conducive to produce more nuclear energy, which is clean and safe, if managed properly.

Electricity from atomic power plants will provide carbon-free clean energy. There is every possibility that the automobile industry will get a boost by switching over from oil to electricity to a great extent. Though nuclear power plants are enormously expensive to build, once installed, they are very cheap to run. The transition from fossil fuel to nuclear fuel like Uranium (235) to embrace a cogent green environment is not only sagacious but also an honest attempt to save the planet as well.

(The writer, a former Reader in Chemistry, Presidency College, Kolkata was associated with UGC and UNICEF)