New Delhi, India: In a landmark development, India and Russia agreed to expand cooperation in civil nuclear energy and advanced technology during their 23rd Annual Summit on Friday. Russian President Vladimir Putin extended a major strategic boost to India, particularly in atomic energy, advanced nuclear technology, and rocket engine development.
The summit highlighted nuclear fuel cycle collaboration, lifecycle support for the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP), and cooperation in non-energy applications of peaceful nuclear technology. Both nations also discussed an agenda for advanced nuclear technologies to further deepen the India–Russia strategic partnership.
Peaceful Nuclear Energy Cooperation
During detailed talks in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed that collaboration in peaceful nuclear energy remains a key pillar of India–Russia strategic relations. This comes as India works toward a 100-gigawatt nuclear energy capacity by 2047, underlining the importance of reliable and advanced nuclear partnerships.
Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) Progress
Both countries emphasized accelerated technical and commercial discussions on:
- Russian-designed VVER reactors
- Joint research and development
- Localization of nuclear equipment
- Manufacturing of fuel assemblies for high-capacity Russian-designed nuclear plants
The summit welcomed progress on the construction of remaining units at Kudankulam, ensuring timely equipment and fuel supply. Ahead of the summit, Rosatom, the Russian state nuclear corporation, began supplying nuclear fuel for KKNPP Phase 2, marking the first batch of fuel assemblies for Unit 3, delivered from the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant in Siberia.
Notably, KKNPP Units 3 and 4 will be the world’s first VVER-1000 reactor units to operate on an 18-month fuel cycle from inception, with Russian engineers collaborating closely with Indian specialists to implement proven technical solutions successfully used in Russia and China.
Expanding Space Collaboration
The summit also celebrated progress in space sector cooperation. India’s ISRO and Russia’s Roscosmos discussed partnerships in human space missions, satellite navigation, planetary exploration, and rocket engine development and production. Both sides emphasized that space collaboration will further strengthen the long-term strategic partnership between the two nations.
This summit underscores India and Russia’s deepening strategic cooperation in critical sectors such as nuclear energy, advanced technology, and space exploration, marking a new phase of bilateral innovation and technological exchange.
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