Why in the News?

Researchers at the Institute for Plasma Research (IPR), Gandhinagar have released a roadmap for India’s fusion programme, envisioning the Steady-State Superconducting Tokamak-Bharat (SST-Bharat) as the country’s first fusion electricity generator.

Back2Basics: ITER and India’s Contribution in ITER

ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor): It is the world’s largest nuclear fusion project, based in France, involving 35 nations.
- What is Nuclear Fusion: It is the process where light atomic nuclei, like hydrogen, combine to form a heavier nucleus, releasing a tremendous amount of energy, as seen in the Sun and stars.
Aim: Demonstrate safe, carbon-free fusion energy by achieving Q = 10 (500 MW output from 50 MW input).
Uses Tokamak design, heating plasma to 150 million °C with superconducting magnets.
India joined as a full partner in 2005, contributing 9% of ITER hardware (~₹17,500 crore).
Major Indian contributions:

- Partnership: Member since 2005, contributes 9% of hardware (~₹17,500 crore) with full IP rights.
- Cryostat (3,800 tonnes, world’s largest vacuum vessel) – fabricated by L&T in Gujarat.
- Superconducting magnets, cryogenic systems, RF heating systems, diagnostics, and shielding modules.
- R&D on lithium-lead breeder blankets for tritium self-sufficiency in fusion reactors.
ITER serves as a training ground for Indian scientists, engineers, and industry, strengthening the country’s precision engineering and high-tech capabilities.

Roadmap for India’s Fusion Power Plan:

Vision: Outlined by the Institute for Plasma Research (IPR), Gandhinagar, aligned with India’s Net Zero 2070 goal.
Strategy: Transition from fusion–fission hybrids (SST-Bharat) to a full fusion demonstration reactor (INDRA) by 2060.
Phased Targets:
- 2025–2035: ITER participation, validation of deuterium-tritium (D–T) fueling, superconducting magnets, and plasma control.
- 2035–2060: Build INDRA (500 MWe, Q > 20), continuous operation >6 months, tritium breeding ratio >1.1.
- Post-2060: Commercial-scale fusion plants, target 50 GW fusion capacity by 2100, offsetting ~750 MT CO₂ annually.
Hybrid Approach: Fusion neutrons to drive thorium-based subcritical assemblies until pure fusion matures.
Innovations: Digital twins of tokamaks, AI-assisted plasma confinement, and radiation-resistant materials.
Global Context: UK STEP targets 2040, US startups 2030s, China’s EAST plasma records; India aims for 2060 cautiously.

About Steady-State Superconducting Tokamak-Bharat (SST-Bharat):

Design: Planned as India’s first fusion electricity generator, a fusion–fission hybrid.
Output: 130 MW total; 100 MW from fission, 30 MW from fusion.
Target: Q-Value = 5 (fusion output/input ratio), vs ITER’s goal of Q = 10.
Cost: Estimated at ₹25,000 crore.
Features: Superconducting magnets, advanced plasma control, hybrid breeding design to generate fuel and reduce waste.
Legacy: Builds on SST-1 tokamak, which achieved 650 ms confinement (designed for up to 16 min).
Goal: Pave way for INDRA (250 MW, Q = 20) by 2060.

[UPSC 2016] India is an important member of the ‘International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor’. If this experiment succeeds, what is the immediate advantage for India?

Options: (a) It can use thorium in place of uranium for power generation

(b) It attain a global role in satellite-navigation

(d) It can build fusion reactors for power generation*

[UPSC 2025] The fusion energy programme in India has steadily evolved over the past few decades. Mention India’s contributions to the international fusion energy project International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). What will be the implications of the success of this project for the future of global energy?

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Why in the News?

Back2Basics: ITER and India’s Contribution in ITER

Roadmap for India’s Fusion Power Plan:

About Steady-State Superconducting Tokamak-Bharat (SST-Bharat):

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