India’s Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC) is developing nuclear reactors that can generate 200 MWe (megawatt electric) of power, doubling the underwater endurance of the country’s next-generation submarines.
The pressurized light-water reactors will use enriched uranium as fuel and can reportedly keep submarines running for a decade without refueling.
Built for the S5-class submarines, which are capable of carrying up to 16 ballistic missiles, the 200-MWe reactors can also be reconfigured to provide a constant power supply during stealth operations.
The new reactors are a major upgrade over the current 83-MWe engines of India’s Arihant and Arighaat submarines.
An anonymous BARC scientist told Times of India that the new reactors have already completed design and simulation stages, signaling a potential move toward production.
‘Nuclear’ Indian Waters
India has been expanding its nuclear submarine program to complete its nuclear triad, or the ability to launch nuclear weapons from air, land, and sea.
Under Project 77, the government plans to build six nuclear attack submarines (SSNs) by the next decade, up from an initial plan of two.
These submarines will carry out anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, surveillance, and strike missions, with propulsion and stealth features inspired by French designs.
With the 200-MWe reactors powering the next generation of submarines, India could extend patrols, enhance operational flexibility, and strengthen its strategic position against China’s naval presence in the Indo-Pacific.
