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New Delhi/Mumbai, Apr 7 (PTI) The attainment of first criticality at the indigenously designed and built 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu was on Tuesday hailed as a "seminal moment" to help India move closer to realising the full potential of its nuclear power programme and providing long-term energy security. With the 500 MWe PFBR reaching criticality on Sunday to mark the initiation of a sustained nuclear chain reaction, India has officially entered the second stage of its three-stage nuclear power programme. The milestone carries substantial global significance since once fully operational, India will become only the second country after Russia to operate a commercial fast breeder reactor, according to an official statement. Attaining criticality means that the nuclear reaction in PFBR has become self-sustaining and will eventually lead to generation of electricity. Formulated in the 1950s by Dr Homi Bhabha, the architect of India's nuclear programme, the three-stage programme seeks to make the country self-reliant in the nuclear power sector by exploiting the vast thorium reserves found in the monazite sands of coastal regions of South India. India holds limited uranium reserves but one of the largest thorium reserves in the world. Nuclear power has consistently accounted for around three per cent of India's total electricity generation. In 2024-25, its share stood at 3.1 per cent. According to the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), the technology development and design of PFBR was indigenously done by the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, its R&D Centre. Anil Kakodkar, former secretary of the DAE, told PTI that the "historic" development is very important from the point of view of India's energy security. In view of India's dependency on other countries for fossil fuels, the move assumes significance, especially at a time when the crisis in West Asia has impacted the supply of oil and natural gas, he said. Unlike other nuclear reactors, the FBR not only produces energy but also produces fuel, Kakodkar said. This is why it is called a 'breeder reactor', he added. K N Vyas, former secretary of the DAE, said the development was significant as the technology involved is very advanced. However, the reactor will not start producing electricity immediately and will undergo a variety of tests, he added. Countries like France and the US were unable to scale up their breeder reactors, Vyas said. Concurring with Vyas, Kakodkar said that after Russia, which is the only country to run two breeder reactors with a capacity of 600 MW and 800 MW, India is the only country to develop a reactor with a capacity of 500 MW. France and the US operate breeder reactors but not at this scale, he said. Rajeshwari Rajagopalan, resident senior fellow at Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Canberra, said the development is impressive despite the huge delays. Debasish Mishra, partner at Deloitte India, said the PFBR reaching criticality is a "seminal moment" in India's technical progress toward nuclear self-reliance. "India has ample thorium reserves. 25% of the world's thorium is found here. Reaching the third-stage of the nuclear programme is the ultimate panacea for India's energy security as envisaged by Dr Bhabha," said Mishra. Fast breeder technology forms the vital bridge between the current series of pressurised heavy water reactors(PHWRs) and the future deployment of thorium-based reactors, leveraging the country's abundant thorium resources for long-term clean energy generation. They are a cornerstone of India's long-term nuclear strategy, an official statement said. Unlike conventional thermal reactors, the PFBR uses Uranium-Plutonium Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel. To make the most of these resources, the DAE designed a three-stage nuclear power programme built on a closed nuclear fuel cycle. The goal is to progressively multiply domestic fissile resources and secure long-term energy independence. Each stage feeds into the next, making India's nuclear programme one of the most forward-looking energy strategies in the world, the statement said. In the first stage, natural Uranium is used as fuel in PHWRs to generate power. The spent fuel from these reactors produces plutonium, which becomes the primary input for the next stage. Currently, there are 18-20 PHWRs which form the backbone of the nuclear power programme. In the second stage, the plutonium obtained from first stage is used as fuel in FBRs, which generate more fuel than they consume. These reactors also breed Uranium-233 from thorium, laying the groundwork for the third stage. The third stage will harness India's vast thorium reserves at scale, using the Uranium-233 bred in Stage 2 as fuel. Thorium is considered a practically inexhaustible energy source and this stage holds the key to India's long-term energy security. PTI PR ALC GJS GSN GSN GSN
NEW DELHI: Axiom-4 crew members, including Shubhanshu Shukla, were welcomed with hugs and drinks as they stepped into the International Space Station on Thursday. The newly launched spacecraft -- the fifth in the Dragon series and named Grace -- successfully completed a soft docking with the International Space Station at 4.01pm while orbiting above the North Atlantic Ocean."At 6:31 am EDT (4:01 IST) on Thursday, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the International Space Station for the fourth private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory, Axiom Mission 4," the National Aeronautics ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Centre is exploring the option of converting retired coal-based power plants to nuclear plants, said two people in the know of the developments. The need for conversion arises due to the requirement of large land parcels for nuclear plants even as the government aims to install over 22 GW of nuclear capacity by 2032 and 100 GW by 2047 from the current 8.7 GW. The government has already asked states to come up with plans to set up at least one nuclear plant each. "The possibility of converting retired thermal plants is being looked at and talks are underway within the governme ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 16 (ANI): The Indian government expressed regret on Tuesday over the reported demolition of the ancestral property of celebrated filmmaker and writer Satyajit Ray in Mymensingh, Bangladesh and expressed its willingness to extend cooperation in its restoration. "We note with profound regret that the ancestral property of noted filmmaker and litterateur Satyajit Ray in Mymensingh, Bangladesh, belonging to his grandfather and eminent litterateur, Upendra Kishor Ray Chowdhury, is being demolished," the Ministry of External Affairs said. Also Read | India Urges Bangladesh ...Read More >
New Delhi, Aug 26 (SocialNews.XYZ) Amid global geopolitical and supply chain volatility, Xiabing Feng, Principal Commercial Officer, US Embassy in India on Tuesday said that the US is committed to collaborate with India in terms of exporting high-quality products and services for India to achieve energy security and economic growth. Addressing the "3rd Energy Summit of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce", the top official of the US Embassy in the national capital also noted that collaboration between both the countries can drive transformative change in the global energy space. "As we loo ...Read More >
July 14 (Reuters) - India said on Monday it has achieved 50% of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources -- five years ahead of its 2030 target under the Paris Agreement, signalling accelerating momentum in the country's clean energy transition. WHY IT'S IMPORTANT The announcement comes as India's renewable power output rose at its fastest pace since 2022 in the first half of 2025, while coal-fired generation declined nearly 3%. Fossil fuels still accounted for over two-thirds of the increase in power generation last year. India plans to expand coal-fired capacity by ...Read More >
Ahmedabad, July 14 (PTI) The Gujarat High Court on Monday directed a man, facing contempt of court for attending a virtual court hearing while relieving himself on a toilet seat, to deposit Rs 1 lakh with the court's registry after observing that he was ready to tender an unconditional apology. The incident occurred on June 20 when Justice Nirzar S Desai was hearing a case. A video of the man soon went viral, prompting the high court to initiate suo motu contempt proceedings. On Monday, the division bench of Justices AS Supehia and RT Vachhani directed the man, identified as Samad Abdul Rehm ...Read More >
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch multiple development projects worth several thousand crores and address public meetings in Bihar and West Bengal on Friday. The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone and dedicate to the nation multiple development projects worth over Rs 7,200 crores in Bihar's Motihari. He will also unveil multiple development projects worth over Rs 5,000 crores at Durgapur in West Bengal. In Bihar, Mr Modi will lay the foundation stone, inaugurate and dedicate to the nation development projects catering to rail, road, rural development, fisheries, el ...Read More >
The event has brought together energy ministers from various states, top government officials, and industry leaders from the oil and gas sectorSource : pexel Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, on Thursday said that he expects the new round of hydrocarbon exploration being launched in India to strike several big Guyana-sized oilfields, particularly in the Andaman Sea. We will drill and explore for more hydrocarbons in an area of more than 2,00,000 sq km under OALP (Open A ...Read More >
PM Modi said that in six states in eastern India, gas pipelines are being laid. ShowQuick Read Summary is AI-generated, newsroom-reviewed * Prime Minister Modi launched development projects worth Rs 5,400 crore in West Bengal * Laid foundation for BPCL's Rs 1,950-crore City Gas Distribution project in Bankura and Purulia * Dedicated Rs 1,190-crore Durgapur-Kolkata natural gas pipeline under Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga Did our AI summary help? Let us know. Durgapur: Prime Minister Narendra ...Read More >
Hyderabad, July 18 (UNI) In view of the ongoing heavy rains in Hyderabad, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has directed all concerned departments to stay on high alert and ensure swift response to public grievances. The Chief Minister instructed officials from GHMC, HMDA, Water Works, Electricity, and Police departments to work in close coordination to prevent any rain-related disruptions. He also emphasised the need for immediate action in areas facing waterlogging, power outages, or other rain-induced issues. CM Revanth Reddy further directed the deployment of SDRF, NDRF, Hydra teams, and ot ...Read More >
MUMBAI: ICICI Bank has rolled back its rule requiring new savings accounts opened after Aug 1 to maintain a monthly average balance (MAB) of Rs 50,000 and has revised the threshold to Rs 15,000. The move follows a social media backlash against the higher balance requirement, which was criticised for making banking exclusive.The bank said it has revised its schedule of charges and MAB requirements following customer feedback. The changes do not apply to salary accounts, senior citizens above 60 years, basic accounts/PM Jan Dhan Yojana accounts, or those opened before July 31, 2025.Meanwhile, HD ...Read More >
New Delhi, Sep 2 (SocialNews.XYZ) Coal production from India's captive and commercial mines during April to August of the financial year 2025-26 has recorded a robust 11.88 per cent growth over the same period of the previous year, while dispatches of coal from mines have risen by 9.12 per cent during these five months. These positive trends indicate enhanced operational efficiency and more effective utilisation of mining capacity across the sector, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Coal. Coal production during August this year was recorded at 14.43 million tonnes (MT), whil ...Read More >
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project, a 2,800 MW nuclear plant developed by NPCIL-NTPC, with an investment of Rs 42,000 crore. This project, along with other energy initiatives exceeding Rs 51,000 crore, aims to supply reliable power, create employment, and boost economic growth in Rajasthan. The 2,800 MW Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project, developed by a NPCIL-NTPC joint venture at an investment of around Rs 42,000 crore in Rajastha ...Read More >
A Russian strike on a nine-story building in the city of Sumy in northern Ukraine killed eight people and wounded dozens, an official said Sunday (November 17, 2024), as Russia launched a massive drone and missile attack described by officials as the largest in recent months. "Among the eight killed in Sumy, 40 kilometers (24 miles) from the border with Russia, were two children," said Ukraine's Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko. More than 400 people were evacuated from the building. Ukraine's Zelenskyy urges allies to take steps before North Korean troops reach the front The rescu ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 6 (PTI) State-owned power giant NTPC on Friday said its Group installed generation capacity has reached 80,515 MW, after the first unit of 250 MW of the Tehri hydro Pumped Storage Project (PSP) began commercial supply of electricity. THDC India Ltd, a subsidiary of NTPC Ltd, has declared the first 250 MW unit of its 1,000 MW Tehri PSP (4x250 MW) commercially operational with effect from 00:00 hours on June 7, 2025, according to a regulatory filing. The total installed and commercial capacity of the NTPC group will become 80,515 MW, it added. NTPC is India's largest integrated ...Read More >
Shimla: Heavy rains lashed Himachal Pradesh on Sunday, triggering landslides and flash floods and blocking more than 100 roads, even as the weather department issued a red alert.A landslide at Chakki Mod near Parwanoo blocked the Chandigarh-Shimla highway for hours, resulting in a massive traffic jam Sunday morning. The local administration had to divert traffic through the Jangeshu link road until the landslide debris was cleared at Chakki Mod.The traffic was first restored one-way and later two-way, but the traffic jam continued on both sides of the highway throughout the day due to slow veh ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 8 (ANI): Union Minister Hardeep Puri on Tuesday highlighted Central Government's series of sweeping policy reforms under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to accelerate oil & gas exploration. These reforms, aimed at promoting exploration & production in the field of oil and gas. The government believes that these changes to increase the ease of doing business for our exploration and production (E&P) operators are being made after stakeholder consultation at every level.The minister, noted via a social media post on X that the recent amendments to the Oilfi ...Read More >
India will be able to address the apprehensions of the private sector globally about investments in the civil nuclear sector, which was opened up to achieve the ambitious target of producing 100 GW of atomic power by 2047, Union Minister Jitendra Singh has asserted. Mr. Singh, who oversees the Department of Atomic Energy, said changes in relevant rules and legislations will have to be made to facilitate the entry of the private sector in the field of nuclear energy, which currently is under tigh ...Read More >
New Delhi: ONGC's production trend is beginning to turn after eight straight years of fall as a key new field in KG Basin ramps up and the old Mumbai High asset arrests decline. ONGC's crude production rose 3% year-on-year in November to 53,804 tonnes per day (tpd) and the output growth so far in December has accelerated to 4.2% to 54,535 tpd, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The output was marginally higher in three of the first seven months this fiscal year but there is a cle ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) on Monday announced the commencement of natural gas sales from the Chinnewala Tibba field, located in Rajasthan's Kutch Onland Exploratory Asset (RKOEA). The field is part of the Discovered Small Field (DSF-II) Block RJ/ONDSF/Chinnewala/2018, and production began on August 25, 2025. In a press release, the company said that this milestone marks the successful monetisation of the Chinnewala Tibba field and reinforces ONGC's commitment to ...Read More >
Over the course of the day, PM Modi logged nearly 4.5 hours of air travel, including 2 hours of chopper rides, to connect with people and projects across multiple states Prime Minister Narendra Modi's day on September 25th was marked by a hectic schedule and diverse engagements, reflecting both his pace of work and his outreach across multiple sectors, despite being on a 9-day fast during Navratri. Over the course of the day, PM Modi logged nearly 4.5 hours of air travel, including 2 hours of c ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal has indicated that India could buy more oil from the US amid repeated calls from American President Donald Trump for India and China to lower purchase of Russian crude."We are big importers of energy from across the world, including from the US. We expect to increase our trade with the US on energy products in the years to come... Our energy security goals will have a very high element of US involvement, which will ensure high stability, dive ...Read More >
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy expressed optimism about India's support for Ukraine in the conflict with Russia, despite ongoing concerns from the U.S. regarding India's energy trade with Moscow. While the U.S. considers tariffs to deter Russian oil purchases by India and China, Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of maintaining ties with New Delhi. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday (local time) said he believes India is "mostly" on Kyiv's side in the war with Russia, even as the ...Read More >
Bareilly (UP), Jul 17 (PTI) A teacher from Bahedi district, who went viral recently after reciting a poem mentioning Kanwar Yatra, approached the police on Thursday stating a threat to his life from anti-social elements. A case has been registered at Bahedi police station based on a complaint from Dr Rajneesh Kumar Gangwar, a teacher at MGM Inter College in the district. According to Circle Officer Arun Kumar Singh, Gangwar's complaint says that ever since his recitation of the poem 'Tum Kanwad Lene Mat Jana, Gyaan Ka Deepak Jalaana' (You don't go get Kavad, light the lamp of knowledge inste ...Read More >
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 26 (ANI): The Ministry of Coal on Friday successfully organised the 2nd roadshow on Coal Gasification - Surface and Underground Technologies in collaboration with FICCI in New Delhi. Building upon the success of the first edition held in Mumbai, the event focused on promoting India's cleaner and more sustainable coal utilisation technologies, according to a release from the Ministry of Coal. Rupinder Brar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Coal and Sanoj Kumar Jha, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Coal, along with senior officials of the ministry, key ...Read More >
Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday warned educational institutions that cases would be booked against them if drugs were found in their premises. The CM announced that the state's Anti-Narcotics Bureau would henceforth be known as Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) and was tasked with curbing the menace of narcotics in the state. Speaking at an event marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2025 at Shilpakala Vedika here, Reddy placed an onus on educational institutions to ensure their campuses were free of drugs. "It is the ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 10 (ANI): Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Puri said India's continued purchase of crude oil from Russia helped stabilise energy prices globally, and halting oil trade from Russia would have spiralled crude prices to over USD 120-130 per barrel. When asked about buying Russian oil during a press interaction, Minister Puri explained that Russia produces over 9 million barrels per day and is one of the world's largest crude oil producers. If, out of global oil supplies of around 97 million barrels, 9 million barrels had suddenly vanished, the entire world woul ...Read More >
Srinagar: The Counter-Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) unit of Jammu and Kashmir Police is conducting searches at ten locations across four districts in the Valley. An official told news agency -- Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the raids are part of an ongoing investigation into a terror-crime case linked to a terrorist sleeper cell and recruitment module handled by Jaish commander Abdullah Ghazi from across the border. The searches are underway at one location in Pulwama, six in Ganderbal, one in Srinagar, and two in Budgam district -- (KNO) ...Read More >
New Delhi: Uranium is one of the critical raw materials for nuclear weapons, and today, it stands at the center of global concern among the world's major powers. The recent Iran-Israel conflict is the latest example of this. Israel, during the 12-day-long war, launched brutal attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities, fearing that Iran was getting dangerously close to developing a nuclear bomb. The world today knows that whoever controls uranium holds the key to becoming a nuclear power. Australia has the largest uranium reserves in the world, yet it has no nuclear power plants and no nuclear weap ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], August 25 (ANI): Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) has officially commenced sales of natural gas from its Chinnewala Tibba field, a Discovered Small Field (DSF-II) block located in the Rajasthan Kutch Onland Exploratory Asset (RKOEA). According to a statement from the state-owned company, this significant milestone reinforces ONGC's commitment to enhancing domestic energy production and strengthening India's energy security under the guidance of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoP&NG). Also Read | 'Punish Those Who Implicate Others': Arvind Kejriwal ...Read More >