Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant Now Being Constructed : Vladimir Putin

St.Petersburg [Russia] : Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed confidence that India and Russia can significantly expand their economic partnership, predicting that bilateral trade in key sectors, including nuclear energy, hydrocarbons and investments, will reach US$ 100 billion in the coming years.

Speaking on the sidelines of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum on Thursday (local time), Putin said Moscow and New Delhi were aiming for more ambitious economic targets as trade between the two countries continues to grow.

“We hope that in the coming years we will reach 100 billion US dollars in bilateral trade. This is about 58 or 60 billion US dollars, but we have all the foundations to work more actively and achieve more ambitious goals,” Putin said. he said.

The Russian President noted the expanding energy partnership between the two countries, especially in the nuclear sector, where Russia plays a central role in India’s civil nuclear energy program (Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant). The resort is located in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.

“We are not just talking about our plans in the field of energy, including nuclear energy. Currently, Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) is being constructed,” he said.

Putin also stated that future cooperation will extend beyond nuclear energy to the hydrocarbon sector. “New platforms will emerge regarding hydrocarbons. We will continue to work together,” he said.

The Russian leader also emphasized the growing investment relationship between the two countries, describing the ongoing projects as among the largest foreign investments in India. “We have one of the largest investment projects in the Indian economy and we will make mutual investments,” he said.

The official statement of the Nuclear Energy Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) had earlier stated that on May 2, the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) had given permission for installation of major equipment in Units 5 and 6 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project.

In a post on

“Groundbreaking progress at Kudankulam… India’s nuclear power program has reached yet another decisive milestone. The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has granted permission for installation of major equipment at Units 5 and 6 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP),” the post said.

India’s civil nuclear cooperation with Russia continues to play a key role in expanding capacity. Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had said in March: “Russia is our most important partner in civil nuclear energy and the Kudankulam nuclear project is a great example. As India aims to increase its nuclear power generation capacity to 100 gigawatts by 2047, I am confident that it will find a reliable and trustworthy partner in Russia for the peaceful use of nuclear energy.”

KKNPP was also discussed during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India in December last year.

The Russian President had later said: “We are carrying out the flagship project to build India’s largest nuclear power plant, Kudankulam. Two of the six reactor units have already been connected to the power network and four are still under construction. Bringing this nuclear power plant to full power output will make an impressive contribution to India’s energy needs.”