Thorium-Powered Future: Key to India’s 100 GW Nuclear Goal
By 2047—marking a century of independence—India aims to achieve a formidable 100 GW of nuclear power capacity. But that’s just the beginning. According to the Indian nuclear establishments, the country could generate a staggering 500 GW of electricity for the next four centuries using only its economically extractable thorium reserves. This is a calculated, strategic plan rooted in resource abundance, technological advancement, and a commitment to long-term energy security.
With increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions, meet rising energy demands, and limit dependence on fossil fuels, nuclear energy has become a central pillar of India’s future energy strategy. Among the key resources supporting this direction is thorium—an abundant element in India that offers distinct advantages in terms of safety, efficiency, and sustainability.
India holds one of the largest thorium reserves in the world, positioning it uniquely to lead in thorium-based nuclear technology. With clear policy direction, domestic innovation, and growing international partnerships, thorium is emerging as a critical asset in meeting the country's energy goals while aligning with its net-zero commitments.
The Energy Imperative in 2025: Balancing Growth and Sustainability
India’s energy consumption is soaring, driven by its population of over 1.4 billion and the rapid pace of urbanization and industrial expansion under national initiatives like Viksit Bharat. The country is targeting a near doubling of its power capacity—from the current 427 GW to approximately 900 GW by 2030. While renewable energy capacity has expanded significantly, reaching 220.10 GW as of 2025, its intermittent nature limits its capacity to support round-the-clock baseload demands, especially in industrial and metropolitan hubs. Coal remains dominant, comprising nearly 79% of India’s energy mix, but environmental constraints and depleting reserves threaten its long-term viability.
In this context, nuclear energy—renowned for its high energy density, low carbon emissions, and reliability—emerges as a vital pillar of India’s energy security strategy. And thorium, with its abundant reserves and advanced fuel properties, could be a game-changer.
Thorium: An Untapped Strategic Resource
India is home to one of the largest thorium deposits in the world—estimated at between 457,000 and 508,000 tonnes, largely concentrated in the monazite sands of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha. According to the Department of Atomic Energy (DoAE), India has identified over 11.93 million tonnes of in situ monazite resources, containing more than 1 million tonnes of thorium.
Thorium-232 offers several compelling advantages over uranium-based fuels:
Superior Material Properties: Thorium dioxide (ThO₂) has a higher melting point and thermal conductivity than uranium dioxide, enabling safer and more stable reactor operations.
Efficient Neutron Economy: Thorium-232 has a higher neutron absorption cross-section than uranium-238, converting efficiently into fissile uranium-233, which has excellent neutron economy and is well-suited for sustaining chain reactions.
Reduced Waste & Enhanced Safety: Thorium cycles produce less long-lived radioactive waste and inherently resist proliferation due to the presence of uranium-232 and its intense gamma radiation.
While thorium is not directly fissile and poses challenges due to uranium-232’s gamma emissions, India’s persistent R&D and unique fuel cycle strategy place it ahead of the curve in overcoming these barriers.
India’s Three-Stage Nuclear Program: A Structured Path to Thorium Utilization
India’s nuclear roadmap, envisioned by Dr. Homi Bhabha, is methodically designed to transition from uranium to thorium-based fuel systems. As of 2025, all three stages of this visionary program are making tangible progress:
Stage 1: Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs)
India currently operates 20 PHWRs that use natural uranium to produce plutonium-239, the fissile driver for the next stage. These reactors have achieved commendable operational reliability with average capacity factors around 80%. Continued enhancements in fuel efficiency and safety systems are consolidating the foundation for advanced nuclear technologies.
Stage 2: Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs)
The 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam began core loading in 2024 and is expected to be commissioned by 2026. The PFBR will utilize plutonium from PHWRs to breed more fissile material, including uranium-233 through thorium blankets—bringing India closer to a closed fuel cycle.
Stage 3: Thorium-Based Reactors
The third stage focuses on deploying reactors that run primarily on thorium-based fuels. The Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR), a 300 MWe technology demonstrator, is designed to utilize (Th-Pu) and (Th-U-233) mixed oxide fuels. With passive safety features like natural circulation cooling and a closed fuel cycle, the AHWR represents the world’s first serious step toward commercially viable thorium reactors.
Pioneering Innovation: Global Partnerships
A transformative development in India’s thorium journey is its strategic collaboration with a U.S.-based firm, to deploy fuel through NTPC Limited.
The fuel is a proprietary blend of thorium and High Assay Low Enriched Uranium (HALEU), designed to operate in existing PHWRs. It offers exceptional burn-up rates—up to 60,000 MWd/t compared to just 7,000 MWd/t for conventional uranium—resulting in reduced nuclear waste, enhanced safety, and significant cost savings. Moreover, the fuel’s high proliferation resistance strengthens India’s non-proliferation credentials.
This international partnership not only accelerates thorium deployment but also signals India’s readiness to play a leadership role in global nuclear innovation.
Economic and Strategic Impact
Thorium-based energy supports India’s twin goals of energy self-reliance and environmental stewardship. The fuel cycle’s lower waste burden, minimal greenhouse gas emissions, and proliferation resistance align perfectly with India’s net-zero emissions target by 2070.
From an economic standpoint, thorium utilization could significantly reduce India’s reliance on imported uranium. In just the past three years, India has imported over 7,600 tonnes of uranium, primarily from Kazakhstan and Canada, according to official figures released by the government in 2022. By tapping into its domestic thorium reserves, India could save billions in import costs, develop indigenous technology ecosystems, and generate export opportunities for thorium-based reactor designs and fuels—paralleling the global influence of oil-exporting nations.
Thus, India’s thorium reserves are more than a mineral resource—they represent a strategic pillar for clean energy development, technological self-reliance, and long-term economic resilience. With a structured three-stage nuclear program, ongoing innovation in advanced fuel technologies, and policies aligned with global sustainability commitments, the country is steadily advancing toward a nuclear future shaped by thorium.
As nations worldwide seek secure, low-carbon energy options, India’s focused approach to thorium-based nuclear power offers a practical and scalable model—one rooted in sustainability, self-sufficiency, and international collaboration. A key milestone in this journey will be the 6th India Nuclear Business Platform (INBP) 2025, scheduled for 14–15 October 2025 in Mumbai. This premier forum will bring together policymakers, global stakeholders, and industry leaders to define the next phase of India’s nuclear trajectory. It presents a timely opportunity to translate long-term vision into actionable strategies and reinforce India’s position as a global leader in thorium-driven nuclear energy.
