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GS2/3 · Parliament replies

Parliament replies digest (4–8 Aug 2025): nuclear mission, Gaganyaan, deep ocean, R&D

1 min readParliamentScience & Technology
Battle IAS current affairs title card: Parliament replies digest (4–8 Aug 2025): nuclear mission, Gaganyaan, deep ocean, R&D (GS2/3 · Parliament replies, 8 August 2025)

What happened

  • The Nuclear Energy Mission targets 100 GW nuclear capacity by 2047; BARC is designing three SMRs: 200 MWe BSMR, 55 MWe SMR and a 5 MWth high-temperature gas-cooled reactor for hydrogen [PIB, Parliament reply].
  • For Gaganyaan, the human-rated LVM3 development and ground testing are complete; TV-D2 and IADT-01 are in progress [PIB, Parliament reply].
  • Under its ISA contract India explores 75,000 sq km in the Central Indian Ocean Basin for polymetallic nodules and 10,000 sq km on the Central and Southwest Indian Ridges for sulphides [PIB, Parliament reply].
  • GERD was 0.64% of GDP in 2020-21; the private sector accounts for only about 36% of it [PIB, Parliament reply].

Background

  • Session-week replies give official figures you can quote in Mains.

Why it matters

  • Pair the low private R&D share with any answer on innovation policy.

How to use this in Mains

GS-II Parliament and State legislatures

  1. As per PIB (2025-08-08): the Nuclear Energy Mission targets 100 GW nuclear capacity by 2047; BARC is designing three SMRs: 200 MWe BSMR, 55 MWe SMR and a 5 MWth high-temperature gas-cooled reactor for hydrogen.
  2. Pair the low private R&D share with any answer on innovation policy.
Quotable data point

For Gaganyaan, the human-rated LVM3 development and ground testing are complete; TV-D2 and IADT-01 are in progress.

PIB: DAE: PQ Nuclear Energy Mission, 8 Aug 2025

Exam angle

UPSC

Prelims: SMR types, ISA areas.

Practice MCQs

Original practice questions (not PYQs).

Practice · UPSC

GERD as % of GDP in 2020-21

Answer (a) & explanation

PIB.

Practice · UPSC

Nuclear capacity target by 2047

Answer (c) & explanation

PIB.

Practice · UPSC

Area in Central Indian Ocean Basin for polymetallic nodules

Answer (b) & explanation

PIB.

Go deeper

ExplainerWeather Forecasting in India and Mission Mausam: IMD, Numerical Models, Doppler Radars, Bharat Forecast System, Supercomputers, Weather Modification and Early Warnings (UPSC Notes + PYQs)ExplainerAnusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF): the ANRF Act 2023, the ₹1 Lakh Crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme and India’s R&D Gap (UPSC Notes + PYQs)

Official source: PIB: DAE: PQ Nuclear Energy Mission, 8 Aug 2025

facts from cited sources only; faculty review pending