Academic access to Russia’s nuclear expertise deepens the bilateral cooperation between India and RussiaRu

India’s three-tier civil nuclear power program reflects the country’s economic and scientific advances.

From Soumojit Mukherjee,

While bilateral relations with Russia are an essential cornerstone of Indian foreign policy, the strategic alliance between the two countries is rooted in history, reciprocity and friendly partnership. Alongside other areas of strategic cooperation, civil nuclear energy has traditionally been the key pillar of the bilateral partnership between India and Russia for over three decades. In addition, the year 2021 commemorates the 73rd anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Russia.

India’s three-tier civil nuclear power program reflects the country’s economic and scientific advances. Since then, India has made significant strides in the field of nuclear energy. The Russian nuclear industry is recognized worldwide as the undisputed leader in advanced nuclear technology and offers state-of-the-art engineering and design solutions in the field of advanced nuclear reactors and the production of nuclear fuels. As a result, India’s proven diplomatic cooperation with Russia over the years positions Russia as an ideal partner for promoting India’s civilian nuclear energy program.

India-Russian nuclear energy cooperation –

In addition, the Russian state nuclear power company Rosatom in India is building six nuclear reactor units with an installed capacity of 1,000 MW each at the Kudankulam site in Tamil Nadu. The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) is one of the largest nuclear power plants in India and the first 2 blocks are already generating GW in the national power grid.

While the construction of Units 3 and 4 is ongoing, the Strategic Vision adopted in December 2014 strengthens cooperation between Russia and India in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

The growing nuclear partnership between India and Russia has opened up opportunities for the development of advanced nuclear manufacturing capabilities in India in line with India’s Make in India initiative. For India, the local manufacture of critical components and equipment for upcoming Russian-style nuclear power projects is a step towards India’s broader vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

In order to further strengthen India’s nuclear energy prospects on Indian soil, India must pursue comprehensive technology transfer and information exchange agreements with Russia.

Academic Access to Russia’s Nuclear Energy Advances –

In Russia, the growth of the nuclear industry is considered one of the top national priorities, which can make Russia an undisputed leader in the advanced nuclear technology industry. Today the Indo-Russian nuclear energy cooperation extends to the academic level.

In addition to job creation and economic incentives, young Indians now have access to Russian nuclear education, expanding the academic and technical expertise of emerging nuclear stakeholders. A new generation of highly qualified and trained employees in the field of nuclear energy will then be attracted.

Thanks to grants from the Russian government, Indian students are now able to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in nuclear engineering without tuition fees. Students can benefit from subsidized housing, library grants, and hands-on training at a Russian nuclear power plant.

For aspiring candidates, the academic programs available range from Nuclear Technologies, Nuclear Engineering, Thermophysics, Nuclear Reactors and Materials, Nuclear Power Plants: Design, Operation and Engineering; as well as materials engineering, informatics and computer technology, chemistry, physics and astronomy, electrical and thermal engineering.

Strengthening future actors in the nuclear sector worldwide –

Russia is at the forefront of nuclear advances and has a responsibility to guide and educate future generations to further advance nuclear innovation. To this end, Russia pursues a lean enrollment process for prospective students, while the lecturers use various pedagogies in addition to numerous practical and research opportunities.

In addition, six Nobel Prize winners have contributed to the curriculum and research at the Moscow Institute of Engineering Physics (MEPhI), a leading Russian university founded in 1942. The university works within the framework of the European Bologna training process and offers BS, MS and PhD programs.

Every year over 6,000 Indian students come to Russia to study. Although not many of them study in Moscow, a diverse multicultural community encourages the exchange of ideas and culture. Nuclear engineering students from 79 countries study in Russia, and their number exceeds 1,500. Students who specialize in NPP receive training in the operation of NPPs as well as regular workshops on full-fledged simulators and in real NPPs in order to prepare the students comprehensively for work in the NPP.

With over 75 years of established track record, Russia has accumulated a wealth of experience and extensive skills in planning and executing large-scale cross-border nuclear projects. The two countries have identified several new areas of cooperation, with Indian academic access in Russia’s nuclear energy expertise being a relatively new dimension of Indo-Russian cooperation.

In addition, a special focus is placed on the cooperation between the younger generation, the cultural groups and the person-to-person connection. As part of this ever-evolving partnership between India and Russia, prospective Indian students looking to build a career in the nuclear energy sector can have access to any Indo-Russian science and culture center in New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, or Trivandrum to order Learn more about scholarships, application processes and other details.

(The author is a Russian Ambassador for Nuclear Education and a 4th year MEPhI student. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policies of Financial Express Online.)

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