Prelims: Current events of national and international importance | Energy | International Relations
Why in News?
Recently, India has secured a long‑term uranium supply deal with Australia, nearly 12 years after the Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement.
Agreement Highlights
- Nature – Long‑term supply of uranium oxide (yellowcake).
- Comparative Deals – Similar agreements signed with Canada and Kazakhstan earlier in 2026.
- Objective – Diversify and secure fuel supplies for India’s expanding civil nuclear power capacity.
India’s Nuclear Power Ambitions
- Target – Expand civil nuclear capacity to 100 GWe by 2047.
- Current Capacity – 8.7 GWe, of which domestic uranium reserves meet only 2.4 GWe.
- Private Participation – Civil nuclear sector opened to greater private involvement in 2025.
Domestic Uranium
- Reserves – 4.3 lakh tonnes across 47 deposits in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra.
- Uranium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL) Role – UCIL mines and processes ore
- Major mines – Jaduguda, Turamdih – Jharkhand and Tummalapalle – Andhra Pradesh.
- Challenge – Domestic ore is poor grade and processing costs 3–4 times higher than imports.
- Imports – Since NSG waiver (2008), India imported uranium (2008–2025), mainly from Russia, Uzbekistan, with future supplies from Canada, Kazakhstan, Australia.
PHWRs – Use natural uranium (domestic + imported) and LWRs – Require imported enriched uranium.
Quick Facts
- NSG (Nuclear Suppliers Group) – An elite 48‑nation export control regime regulating nuclear materials, reactors, and dual‑use technologies to prevent proliferation.
- NPT (Non‑Proliferation Treaty) – Treaty that restricts nuclear trade to signatories; India is not a member; hence the waiver was crucial.
- NSG Waiver (2008) – A landmark exemption allowing India to join global civil nuclear trade despite not signing the NPT.
- Yellowcake – Concentrated uranium oxide, intermediate product in processing.
- IAEA – International Atomic Energy Agency, promotes peaceful nuclear use and safeguards.
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Reference
Indian Express | Uranium Deal
