Russia’s energy clout doesn’t just come from oil and gas

Russia’s energy clout doesn’t just come from oil and gas – it’s a key nuclear supplier

Shankar Sharma, Power & Climate Policy Analyst based in Sagara, Karnataka, India writes to Dr A Gopalakrishnan, former chairman of Indian Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (1993–1996), is a well-known figure in the field of nuclear power, nuclear safety and nuclear non-proliferation:

***

I came across an interesting article, “Russia’s energy clout doesn’t just come from oil and gas – it’s also a key nuclear supplier” on the increasing complications and uncertainties associated with the procurement of nuclear fuel for various countries which have opted for nuclear power. The military operations in Ukraine have made it very troublesome and uncertain, especially from the perspective of India. The article has not made any direct reference to the intractable issues associated with the so called sanctions on Russia; but the vast dependence on Russia for energy related supplies to so many countries, especially in nuclear power sector, makes the effort associated with such a sanction a humorous episode for many observers.
Some of the points highlighted in the article should be a matter of great concern to the advocates of nuclear power in India from the perspective of reliable import of nuclear fuel alone for the proposed increase in nuclear power capacity. As some kind of supplier or maker of nuclear fuel (even if it is very minor in volume), India does not seem to find a place at all at the global arena; so small seems to be our resources. In such a scenario how credible it will be to rely on import of nuclear fuel for most of the nuclear reactors proposed to be built in the country?
The Integrated Energy Policy of the erstwhile Planning Commission in 2006 had admitted that India is poorly endowed with Uranium, and that the known sources within the country can supply only about 10,000 MW of power capacity based on Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR). But the same policy had also controversially proposed to increase Nuclear power capacity, from about 4,800 MW in 2011 to about 63,000 MW in 2032, and to about 250,000 MW by 2050; evidently based on imported technologies. Whereas, there have been no indications since 2006 that such an ambitious policy plan to increase the nuclear capacity has been dropped, the question is whether India should continue to plan for more of nuclear power capacity despite the uncertainties, risks and costs associated with the new global nuclear fuel supply scenario, which is fast emerging as a global energy concern.
I remember the last occasion few years ago when we met last, how unhappy you were against the imported technologies for our nuclear power sector because of our own bitter past experiences. I am of the considered opinion that you, as an Ex-Chairperson of AERB and with considerable experience as a nuclear engineer in India’s nuclear power sector, are in a great position to advise the union govt. on the desirability of depending on the imported nuclear technology for the country. Many people like me are keen to know your views on this aspect of nuclear power.
May I hope that your own personal circumstances and health will allow you to share with us your considered opinion on this issue?
—
*Power & Climate Policy Analyst based in Sagara, Karnataka

Comments

The golden crop: How turmeric is transforming women's lives in tribal India

By Vikas Meshram* When the lush green fields of turmeric sway in the tribal belt of southern Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat, it is not merely a spice crop — it is the golden glow of self-reliance. In villages where even basic spices once had to be bought from the market, the very soil today is yielding a prosperity that has transformed the lives of thousands of families. At the heart of this transformation is the initiative of Vaagdhara, which has linked turmeric with livelihoods, nutrition, and village self-governance — gram swaraj.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Authoritarian destruction of the public sphere in Ecuador: Trumpism in action?

By Pilar Troya Fernández The situation in Ecuador under Daniel Noboa's government is one of authoritarianism advancing on several fronts simultaneously to consolidate neoliberalism and total submission to the US international agenda. These are not isolated measures, but rather a coordinated strategy that combines job insecurity, the dismantling of the welfare state, unrestricted access to mining, the continuation of oil exploitation without environmental considerations, the centralization of power through the financial suffocation of local governments, and the systematic criminalization of all forms of opposition and popular organization.

Echoes of Vietnam and Chile: The devastating cost of the I-A Axis in Iran

By Ram Puniyani The recent joint military actions by Israel and the United States against Iran have been devastating. Like all wars, this conflict is brutal to its core, leaving a trail of human suffering in its wake. The stated pretext for this aggression—the brutality of the Ayatollah Khamenei regime and its nuclear ambitions—clashes sharply with the reality of the diplomatic landscape. Iran had expressed a willingness to remain at the negotiating table, signaling a readiness to concede points emerging from dialogue.

False claim? What Venezuela is witnessing is not surrender but a tactical retreat

By Manolo De Los Santos The early morning hours of January 3, 2026, marked an inflection point in Venezuela and Latin America’s centuries-long struggle for self-determination and independence. Operation Absolute Resolve, ordered by the Trump administration, constituted the most brutal and direct military assault on a sovereign state in the region in recent memory. In a shocking operation that left hundreds dead, President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores were illegally kidnapped from Venezuelan soil and transported to the United States, where they now face fabricated charges in a New York federal detention facility. In the two months since this act of war, a torrent of speculation has emerged from so-called experts and pundits across the political spectrum. This has followed three main lines: One . The operation’s success indicated treason at the highest levels of the Bolivarian Revolution. Two . Acting President Delcy Rodríguez and the remaining leadership have abandone...

The selective memory of a violent city: Uttam Nagar and the invisible victims of Delhi

By Sunil Kumar* Hundreds of murders take place in Delhi every year, yet only a few incidents become topics of nationwide discussion. The question is: why does this happen? Today, the incident in Uttam Nagar has become the centre of national debate. A 26-year-old man, Tarun Kumar, was killed following a dispute that reportedly began after a balloon hit a small child. In several colonies of Delhi, slogans such as “Jai Shri Ram” and “Vande Mataram” are being raised while demanding the death penalty for Tarun’s killers. As a result, nearly 50,000 residents of Hastsal JJ Colony are now living in what resembles a state of confinement.

The price of silence: Why Modi won’t follow Shastri, appeal for sacrifice

By Arundhati Dhuru, Sandeep Pandey* In 1965, as India grappled with war and a crippling food crisis, Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri faced a United States that used wheat shipments under the PL-480 agreement as a lever to dictate Indian foreign policy. Shastri’s response remains legendary: he appealed to the nation to skip one meal a day. Millions of middle-class households complied, choosing temporary hunger over the sacrifice of national dignity. Today, India faces a modern equivalent in the energy sector, yet the leadership’s response stands in stark contrast to that era of self-reliance.

Love letters in a lifelong war: Babusha Kohli’s resistance in verse

By Ravi Ranjan* “War does not determine who is right—only who is left.” Bertrand Russell’s words echo hauntingly in our times, and few contemporary Hindi poets embody this truth as profoundly as Babusha Kohli. Emerging from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, Kohli has carved a unique space in literature by weaving together tenderness, protest, and philosophy across poetry, prose, and cinema. Her work is not merely artistic expression—it is resistance, refuge, and a call for peace.

Search This Blog