The Department of Atomic Energy release of 27 April 2026 recorded Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh's statement that India will become the second country after Russia to operate a commercial-level fast breeder reactor once the 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam is fully operational. Speaking at a workshop of MPs and MLAs on small modular reactors, he said the indigenously designed reactor achieved first criticality on 6 April 2026. The reactor was developed by the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research and built by BHAVINI. It uses uranium-plutonium mixed oxide fuel and is designed to produce more fuel than it consumes, placing it at the start of the second stage of India's three-stage nuclear power strategy. The release linked this stage to future use of India's large thorium reserves in the third stage. Dr Singh said Russia is currently the only country operating commercial fast breeder reactors, while countries such as the USA, UK, France, Japan, Germany and China have historically built or operated experimental fast reactors, many of which are now shut down. He connected fast breeder technology with India's clean-energy transition and the target of 100 GW nuclear power capacity by 2047. Reliable continuous clean power, he said, will be important for data infrastructure and advanced manufacturing. Under the recently launched Nuclear Mission, Rs 20,000 crore has been allocated and five small modular reactors are planned by 2033. Such reactors can support captive power generation, industry, dense population zones, remote areas lacking grid connection and repurposed thermal plants. The release placed nuclear power within a balanced energy mix needed for the Net Zero by 2070 goal.