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India-Russia Nuclear Partnership
Context: The decades-long India-Russia nuclear energy partnership, epitomised by the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP), offers a replicable model for developing economies. It transcends a simple buyer-seller relationship, showcasing a template for deep technological collaboration, capacity building, and achieving energy sovereignty, which is essential for powering future economic and technological growth.
How has the India-Russia nuclear partnership been?
The partnership is a testament to long-term strategic alignment and technical cooperation, overcoming geopolitical changes. Its evolution can be visualized through key milestones:
- The partnership’s core has been technology transfer and co-development. Russia’s Rosatom worked directly with India’s Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), enabling Indian engineers to master advanced VVER reactor technology.
- This model has already been extended to a trilateral format with Bangladesh’s Rooppur NPP, where Russia provides technology and financing, and India offers technical and operational support.
Why is this partnership essential for India’s energy security?
This partnership is not just about adding megawatts; it is a strategic imperative for India’s future, crucial for several reasons:
- Meeting Soaring Baseline Demand: India’s per capita electricity consumption is on a steady upward trajectory (~1,395 kWh in 2023-24) driven by economic growth, urbanisation, and an expanding middle class.
- Powering the AI and Digital Economy: The future energy demand is compounded by the needs of data centres and AI computing, which require vast, uninterrupted power.
- Decarbonisation and Climate Goals: To meet its net-zero commitments, India must decarbonise its energy grid while simultaneously expanding it.
- Strategic Energy Autonomy: The partnership’s emphasis on technology transfer and indigenous capacity building reduces long-term foreign dependency.
- Economic Value of Dispatchable Power: While the Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCOE) for solar is lower, nuclear power’s value lies in its reliability.
- A Model for Global Leadership: The success of this partnership allows India to transition from a technology recipient to a partner and exporter of expertise itself, as seen in the Bangladesh project.
