In India, why are some nuclear reactors kept under "IAEA Safeguards" while others are not?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) Some use imported uranium and others use domestic supplies
The dividing line is the fuel: India's reactors that run on imported fuel are under IAEA safeguards, while those fuelled by India's own (indigenous) supplies are outside them. This follows the Separation Plan, notified under India's India-specific Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA, which covers only the civilian facilities India listed.
- ✓ (b) In a 2015 reply to the Lok Sabha, the Government said 13 reactors (Tarapur 1&2, Rajasthan 1 to 6, Kakrapar 1&2, Narora 1&2 and Kudankulam 1) are under IAEA Safeguards and use imported fuel, while the other eight, such as Kaiga 1 to 4, run on indigenous fuel.
- ✗ (c) Ownership or operator is not the divider: Tarapur Units 1&2 are safeguarded, but Tarapur Units 3&4 at the same station, fuelled by indigenous fuel, are not.
- ✗ (a) Official statements draw the line between imported and indigenous fuel, not between uranium and thorium.
Remember · Indian power reactors that use imported fuel (e.g. Tarapur 1&2, Kudankulam) are under IAEA safeguards; those on indigenous fuel (e.g. Kaiga, Madras, Tarapur 3&4) are not.
Sources
- Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 358, IAEA Safeguards (Department of Atomic Energy, 25 Feb 2015) ↗ “are under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Safeguards and use imported fuel, which is available in adequate quantity. … The placing of existing nuclear power reactors under IAEA Safeguards has been carried out in accordance with the Separation Plan, notified under the India Specific Safeguards Agreement.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2020, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·