India ranks sixth in nuclear capacity addition over last decade, trails in share of total power

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India has performed relatively well in expanding its nuclear power generation - given the strict regulatory guidelines - ranking sixth globally in nuclear capacity addition between 2015 and 2024, according to a Moneycontrol analysis.

During this period, India added 2.9 GW of nuclear power capacity – trailing behind China (32.9 GW), South Korea (8.6 GW), Russia (6.7 GW), the United Arab Emirates (5.7 GW), along with the United States (3.7 GW).

While India added a third of its total 8.7 GW nuclear capacity during the last decade alone, several neighbouring countries have moved at an even faster pace. Pakistan nearly matched India in nuclear capacity addition between 2015 and 2024, adding 80 percent of its reactors. Bangladesh, with 20 percent less nuclear capacity addition than India, added all of its reactors in the same period.

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Over a 20-year horizon (2005–2024), India ranks fourth in global nuclear capacity addition, trailing China, South Korea, and Russia, as per data from Global Economic Monitor. India’s 5.9 GW addition during this period, however, is just two-third of Russia, less than half of South Korea, and just over a tenth of China’s expansion, underscoring the wide gap from the top four ranks.

In relative terms, India lags behind in terms of share of nuclear power in its total energy mix. As of 2024, only 1.7 percent of India’s total installed capacity comes from nuclear energy, ranking it 29th globally - well behind France (47.6 percent), United States (8.3 percent), UAE (10.5 percent) and the UK (7.4 percent).

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India's share of nuclear power is lower than China (2.2 percent) and Japan (4.8 percent), and much lower than Pakistan, where 7.6 percent of installed operating capacity comes from nuclear.

To close the gap, India is now considering a policy overhaul to attract private investment, and the government is reportedly exploring easing civil liability norms, a longstanding demand from industry stakeholders seeking cap on damages and reduced liability risks under the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act.