India’s energy security dilemma has been thrown into sharp relief by the ongoing Gulf conflict, which has disrupted oil supplies and highlighted the country’s dependence on imported fuels, reported NDTV.

With limited domestic reserves of crude oil and uranium, India faces a structural vulnerability that cannot be solved by external imports alone. The one resource that offers a long-term solution is thorium, of which India possesses the largest reserves in the world.

Yet despite decades of planning, thorium utilisation remains stalled, leaving the nation exposed to global turbulence.

Dr Anil Kakodkar, a leading nuclear scientist and former chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, has issued a stark warning: abandoning thorium would be suicidal for India. He argues that thorium is not merely an option but the backbone of India’s three-stage nuclear program, designed to ensure energy independence for centuries.

Unlike uranium, thorium offers a proliferation-resistant fuel cycle, reducing risks of diversion for weapons while providing sustainable energy. In his view, India’s aspiration to become a developed nation is inseparable from large-scale thorium deployment.

India’s technological strengths align naturally with thorium. Heavy water reactors, a field where India is globally recognised as a leader, are ideally suited for converting thorium into uranium-233.

The Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR), developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, was specifically designed to harness thorium while incorporating passive safety features.

Although technically ready, it has not been deployed due to competing priorities and institutional caution. Meanwhile, India’s Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam is nearing operation, which could provide the fissile material inventory needed to accelerate thorium use.

Critics argue that thorium reprocessing is too complex, particularly due to the high gamma radiation emitted by uranium-232 decay products. Dr Kakodkar rejects this pessimism, insisting that technological challenges must be overcome rather than used as excuses for abandonment.

He stresses that without thorium, India’s nuclear capacity will stagnate, leaving the country vulnerable to fuel shortages and geopolitical shocks. He even envisions India leading a “nuclear OPEC” based on thorium, reshaping global energy geopolitics in the process.

The government has reaffirmed its commitment to thorium, with Union Science Minister Dr Jitendra Singh describing it as a cornerstone of India’s nuclear programme. He has highlighted its environmental advantages, including lower quantities of long-lived nuclear waste compared to uranium systems. 

Molten salt reactors, though still experimental, are seen as a promising future technology for thorium deployment. International collaboration, particularly with the United States, could also accelerate progress in advanced nuclear R&D and small modular reactors.

India’s nuclear capacity targets—22 gigawatts by 2032 and 25 gigawatts by 2035-36—make immediate action essential. Without thorium integration, either through AHWR deployment or loading thorium into existing reactors, India risks falling short just as energy demand peaks. For Dr Kakodkar, the message is clear: delay now could cost decades, and the price of inaction would be catastrophic for India’s energy future.

NDTV