@OT,
India seems to have abandoned the defensive nuclear posturing since around 2010, after what seems to be a major policy shift. Indian military command now believes in not using nukes merely for deterrence, but for fighting a comprehensive nuclear war on multiple levels, just like Pakistan.
Since then, India has rapidly evolved its nuclear weapons-related infrastructure at breakneck speed. At least half a dozen new nuclear weapons storage sites have been spotted in Indian states along Pakistani border and at major Naval bases. Thats why we now see ex- and present Indian officials suggesting abandonment of the NFU and preemptive decapitation strikes. (not so) Surprisingly, there seems to be almost no activity against China in this regard.
This sets a very dangerous precedent for the future of the subcontinent.
Doesn't it seems obvious. Earlier this decade and the one before, we worked hard to strengthen our civil nuclear reactors. Went through painstakingly slow learning curve and developmental cycles. Closed loop three phase cycle is now reaping benefits.
For the un-initiated here is how it works. The first stage comprises of Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors fuelled by natural uranium. Natural uranium contains only 0.7% of Uranium235, which undergoes fission to release energy (200Mev/atom). The remaining 99.3% comprises Uranium238 which is not fissile however it is converted in the nuclear reactor, to fissile element Pu 239. In the fission process, among other fission products, a small quantity of Plutonium239 is formed by transmutation of Uranium238.
The second stage, comprising of Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs) are fuelled by mixed oxide of Uranium238 and Plutonium239, recovered by reprocessing of the
first stage spent fuel. In FBRs, Plutonium239 undergoes fission producing energy, and producing Plutonium239 by transmutation of Uranium238. Thus the FBRs
produce energy and fuel, hence termed Breeders. FBRs produce more fuel than they consume. Over a period of time, Plutonium inventory can be built up by feeding
Uranium238.
Thorium232, which constitutes world’s third largest reserves in India, is not fissile therefore needs to be converted to a fissile material, Uranium233, by
transmutation in a fast breeder reactor. This is to be achieved through second stage of the program, consisting of commercial operation of Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs). In the second stage, once sufficient inventory of Plutonium239 is built up, Thorium232 will be introduced as a blanket material to be converted to Uranium233.
The Uranium233 is enriched enough to either start life again from Phase 1 or be used as is on other miniature reactor cores.
It was recently that we have commercialised Phase I and Phase II. Phase III needs some time now. We can generate a significant amounts of weapons grade fissile material from Phase II FBRs. That is where the juicy stuff lies.
The enriched uranium extracted is enriched enough to build small (relatively) naval (heavily modified) PWR cores for out Arihant and Aridaman. Those boomers will carry Pu warheads from the Phase III. Though this is not the primary objective of our nuclear program but still ....
As for primary objective, costs of Indian PHWRs are concerned, the overnight costs of 220 MWe reactors at 2007 prices have been in the range of Rs. 6.2 to 6.5
crore/MWe, while that of 540 MWe reactors has been about Rs. 6.0 crore/MWe at 2007 prices. The overnight cost of the 700 MWe reactors to be set up is estimated to be about of Rs. 5.4 crore/MWe (excluding finance cost and escalation), which is comparable to other reactors in the world.
The newest jester of town.
@gslv mk3 is having a great time making him dance. Jokes apart, this guy can make even the most serious guy burst laughing. But I won't engage with him often on a serious thread.