Major Indian conglomerates Reliance and Adani are reportedly in discussions to invest in nuclear fusion technology, signaling a significant shift in India's pursuit of clean energy. This interest coincides with deep-tech startup Pranos securing $6.8 million in seed funding to develop India’s first commercial fusion reactor prototype.
The move by these industry giants highlights a growing belief that fusion-based power could become commercially viable sooner than India's long-term plan for thorium-based reactors, which are still decades from widespread deployment. Nuclear fusion offers a compelling alternative as it does not require uranium or plutonium as fuel, nor does it produce long-lived radioactive waste, making it a cleaner and inherently safer option compared to conventional nuclear fission.
Why Nuclear Fusion Attracts Investment
Nuclear fusion, the process powering stars like our sun, involves combining two lighter atomic nuclei to form a heavier one, releasing immense energy. This is the opposite of nuclear fission, which splits heavy atoms like uranium. The appeal of fusion lies in its potential for virtually limitless, clean energy. Fuel sources like deuterium (from water) and tritium are abundant, and the reaction products are largely non-radioactive or have very short half-lives.
In contrast, India's current three-stage nuclear program, heavily reliant on its vast thorium reserves, faces significant hurdles. While the country recently achieved criticality with its first prototype fast breeder reactor (FBR), marking Stage 2, the full deployment of Stage 3 thorium reactors is estimated to be 2-3 decades away, or even 45-65 years according to some experts. This delay is primarily due to the need to breed Uranium-233 from thorium, a process that currently depends on the slow build-out of FBRs.
India's Growing Fusion Ecosystem
Several Indian startups, including Pranos, Anubal Fusion, Hylenr Technologies, and ASPL Fusion, are actively working on diverse fusion technologies, aiming for commercial power generation by 2035. This accelerated interest follows the 2022 success of the US National Ignition Facility, which demonstrated fusion ignition—generating more energy than was put in—for the first time.
The Indian government is also laying groundwork for this future. In January, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) established a committee to develop a roadmap for deploying nuclear fusion-based power generation. India is also a significant contributor to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project in France, a global collaboration pushing the boundaries of fusion science.
Global Race for Fusion Power
Globally, nuclear fusion is experiencing a surge in investment and development. The Fusion Industry Association's 2025 report indicates over $2.5 billion invested in the industry in the past year, with 35 companies targeting commercially viable pilot plants between 2030 and 2035. China, for instance, plans to construct the world's first fusion-fission power plant by 2030, aiming to generate 100 MW of continuous electricity.
The US Department of Energy (DOE) is also providing substantial funding—$49 million for 19 projects—to advance foundational fusion research. This international momentum underscores the belief that fusion energy is not just a distant dream but a tangible solution for future energy demands.
Fusion-Fission Hybrid: Bridging the Gap
Some Indian startups, like Gandhinagar-based ASPL Fusion, are exploring fusion-fission hybrid technologies. This approach uses fusion-generated neutrons to drive a subcritical thorium blanket, potentially bypassing the slow FBR build-out and accelerating thorium deployment by 22-30 years. Dr. Prabhat Ranjan, co-founder of ASPL Fusion and chair of the CEA committee, emphasizes this hybrid route as a way to compress the timeline for India's thorium endgame.
As India looks to secure its energy independence and meet growing power demands, the exploration and investment in advanced nuclear fusion reactors represent a strategic diversification in its clean energy portfolio.