NEW DELHI, April 7, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - India has moved closer to producing its own nuclear fuel after a domestic-designed reactor began a controlled nuclear reaction, an important step before it can start generating power. Energy-hungry India, the world's most populous country and third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has ambitious plans to expand nuclear power capacity from its current eight to 100 gigawatts by 2047. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam attained "criticality", the stage at which a self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction starts. "Today, India takes a defining step in its civil nuclear journey, advancing the second stage of its nuclear programme," Modi said in a statement late Monday. Modi called it a "decisive step towards harnessing our vast thorium reserves", a potential fuel for nuclear reactors.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha April 07, 2026 05:07 UTC