AEC Chairman & Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Ajit Kumar Mohanty, inaugurating Átmanirbhar Bharat Gallery of NFC at the B.M. Birla Science Centre, in Hyderabad, on Wednesday.
The Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC) has announced that it has successfully developed the critical technology for production of high Residual Resistivity Ratio (RRR) Niobium ingots and sheets here on Wednesday. High RRR Niobium is a critical material required for a range of advanced accelerator programs aimed at strengthening India’s capabilities in nuclear energy, materials research and critical applications.
The first high RRR Niobium sheet indigenously produced here at NFC was handed over by Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) chairman A K Mohanty to Director of Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT) U.D. Malshe in the presence of NFC chief executive Komal Kapoor, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) Director Vivek Bhasin and other top scientists here on Wednesday.
Currently, high-RRR Nb is sourced entirely from a few international vendors, resulting in supply-chain vulnerability and dependence for large-scale national accelerator programs. With the NFC developing the indigenous technology, India joins a select group of nations with the capability to produce, process, and qualify high-RRR Nb for cutting-edge accelerator applications.
The NFC is planning for large-scale production of RRR Nb and it marks a major milestone towards achieving technological self-reliance in India’s superconducting accelerator infrastructure, boosting high-tech manufacturing, and produce tangible benefits in energy, healthcare, and industrial applications.
For expansion of fuel and structural requirements of the Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) Program of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL), NFC had successfully completed 18 capital projects during 2017-2025 and nine capital projects are under execution while many projects are under various stages of formulation and planning. All these projects are expected to be completed progressively by 2031-32 and are aimed towards the objective of realizing 100 GW of nuclear power by 2047 announced by Centre, said a press release.
Átmanirbhar Bharat Gallery
In a related development, AEC Chairman & Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Ajit Kumar Mohanty, inaugurated Átmanirbhar Bharat Gallery of NFC at the B.M. Birla Science Centre, Hyderabad, in the G P Birla Archaeological Astronomical and Scientific Research Institute (GPBAASRI).
The gallery will showcase the achievements of the NFC and its role in establishing India’s independence in the complete nuclear fuel cycle.
Dr. Mohanty also delivered the G P Birla Memorial Lecture titled “The Breakthrough Prize for Fundamental Physics: India at the Frontiers of Basic Science”.
GBPAASRI chairperson Nirmala Birla and institute director K. Mruthyunjaya Reddy were present.
The distinguished gathering also included Mr. Komal Kapoor, ECIL Chairman & Managing Director Anurag Kumar and other top scientists, said a press release.
Published – October 22, 2025 08:27 pm IST
