Nuclear programme
Nuclear programme · 3-stage · thorium · fusion research (ITER, SST-1)
7 min read · Updated 2026-05-25
What is India's nuclear programme?
India's nuclear programme is a three-stage plan designed by Homi Bhabha to move from scarce uranium to abundant thorium: stage one, pressurised heavy-water reactors burning natural uranium; stage two, fast breeder reactors, whose 500 MWe PFBR at Kalpakkam began fuel core loading in March 2024; stage three, thorium reactors using bred uranium-233, still only a design. Twenty-two reactors were operating in 2024.
The story
It is 18 May 1974. From the Pokhran Test Range, Rajasthan, India conducts its first nuclear explosion — codenamed "Smiling Buddha" (POK-I). Officially: "peaceful nuclear explosive". A 20-25 kt device based on Plutonium. Homi Bhabha's vision (established 1944 as TIFR) finally tested 14 years after his death.
24 years later, 11-13 May 1998 Pokhran-II ("Operation Shakti") — 5 nuclear tests including thermonuclear device. India declared nuclear-weapon state.
For UPSC, India's nuclear programme is tested in Mains GS-III S&T
- GS-II IR.
Why this matters for UPSC
For UPSC:
- Prelims: DAE + BARC + AERB + NPCIL + Pokhran + nuclear power plants.
- Mains GS-III: Three-Stage Programme + nuclear energy + Civil Nuclear Cooperation + AUKUS implications.