International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi has described India's Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) project at Kalpakkam as a safe and logical advancement of the country's long-term nuclear energy strategy. Speaking in an interview, Grossi praised India's systematic approach to nuclear development, calling the reactor's achievement of criticality an important milestone in the nation's three-stage nuclear programme.

The PFBR represents a major step in India's nuclear roadmap, moving the country into the second stage of a strategy conceived to maximize its limited uranium resources and eventually utilize its vast thorium reserves. Developed after nearly two decades of research and engineering efforts, the reactor employs fast breeder technology, which is designed to produce more fissile material than it consumes, helping create fuel for future generations of reactors.

Grossi noted that fast breeder technology is neither experimental nor inherently unsafe, emphasizing that such reactors have operated successfully in different parts of the world. He said the technology remains a useful approach to nuclear power generation and highlighted that India has followed a carefully planned sequence in its nuclear programme. According to him, the progression from conventional reactors to fast breeder technology and eventually toward a thorium-based fuel cycle demonstrates the consistency and seriousness of India's long-term vision.

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India's achievement is particularly significant because several advanced nations, including the United States, France, and Japan, scaled back or abandoned breeder reactor programmes due to economic, technical, or political challenges. Today, India and Russia are among the few countries operating commercial-scale fast breeder reactors, placing India in a select group of nations that have successfully mastered the complex technology. The Kalpakkam reactor uses liquid sodium as a coolant, a design that requires highly sophisticated engineering and rigorous safety measures.

Addressing concerns surrounding nuclear safety, Grossi expressed confidence in India's operational record and regulatory standards. He stated that India's diverse fleet of nuclear reactors has consistently operated in accordance with established safety norms and that the IAEA has no concerns regarding the country's handling of nuclear technology. His remarks are seen as a significant endorsement of India's safety culture and technical capabilities in the nuclear sector.

Grossi also touched upon broader issues, including nuclear safeguards and liability regulations. He acknowledged that the PFBR operates outside international safeguards and noted that this arrangement forms part of the strategic realities of the region. On nuclear liability, he emphasized the importance of balancing national legal frameworks with internationally accepted standards, while expressing confidence that India will continue refining its policies in a manner that supports both public accountability and global cooperation. His comments underscore growing international recognition of India's nuclear programme as it advances toward greater energy security and long-term sustainability.

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