India and Russia are charting a new course in nuclear energy and artificial intelligence cooperation, even as the U.S. military pushes an aggressive timeline to deploy its first nuclear microreactor on a military base by September 2028. The geopolitical divide over nuclear-powered AI infrastructure is widening, with each superpower pursuing distinct strategies to harness atomic energy for computing demands.

What Are India and Russia Planning in Nuclear Energy?

During an expected meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in New Delhi, the two nations are likely to discuss joint development of small modular reactors (SMRs) and a second large nuclear power plant in India. The proposed facility would comprise six VVER-1200 or VVER-TOI reactor units, each generating approximately 1,200 megawatts, for a total capacity of 7,200 megawatts once completed. Technical studies on this expansion are already underway and may accelerate following the Modi-Putin meeting.

Beyond traditional nuclear infrastructure, Russia has signaled interest in using its accumulated rupee balances from oil purchases to fund joint ventures in defense, artificial intelligence, and nuclear energy. Russian companies like Sber are positioning AI and cybersecurity as new growth areas and are seeking joint research and development centers and sovereign IT platforms through the BRICS Cybersecurity Alliance.

The partnership also extends to critical minerals. Russia is considering granting India's state-owned miner IREL access to the Tomtor rare-earth deposits in Yakutia, near the Arctic Ocean. If mining operations begin, the cooperation could expand to joint manufacture of rare-earth magnets and recycling of rare-earth materials, both essential for advanced computing systems.

How Is the U.S. Military Accelerating Its Nuclear Microreactor Deployment?

The Pentagon announced Wednesday that it has selected Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center in Indiana to host a next-generation nuclear microreactor, a decision driven primarily by the need to meet President Donald Trump's ambitious deadline to deploy a first reactor on a military base no later than September 30, 2028. The site selection prioritized timeline feasibility over other considerations.

"Time had priority for us. The site selection was less about whether we're going to connect it to an AI data center or a directed energy system or power parts of critical infrastructure, than where could we actually meet those timelines," said Michael Dodd, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies.

Michael Dodd, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies

In August, the Army's JANUS program awarded five companies a combined $2.2 billion to build prototypes of advanced nuclear reactors. Despite this significant investment, major technical issues remain to be determined, including regulatory approval, safety protocols, security measures, and nuclear waste handling. The Pentagon has not yet released a Commercial Solutions Opening or begun source selection to down-select among competing designs.

Pentagon Chief Technology Officer Emil Michael characterized the program as the leading edge of "a renaissance in nuclear technology" that will accompany "an explosion in the abundance of energy." He expressed confidence that the military would meet the 2028 deadline, citing the companies' demonstrated R&D capabilities and previous Pentagon efforts that have set the program up for success.

Why Are AI Data Centers Driving Nuclear Energy Demand?

Both the U.S. military and civilian sectors are experiencing rapidly rising electrical power demands, driven largely by artificial intelligence and the massive data centers required to run AI systems. Pentagon officials refer to these facilities as "combat compute commands" because of their increasing importance for day-to-day Defense Department operations. The military does not, however, plan to deploy microreactors on forward bases in range of enemy strikes, according to Pentagon leadership.

Meanwhile, Congress is moving to streamline nuclear development. The House Committee on Energy and Commerce advanced six bipartisan nuclear permitting reform bills by unanimous roll call votes, addressing licensing procedures and regulatory frameworks that have historically slowed nuclear projects in the United States.

Steps to Understand the Nuclear-AI Infrastructure Race

• Track Geopolitical Alignment: Monitor India-Russia nuclear cooperation announcements and compare their timeline for SMR deployment with U.S. military deadlines to understand which nations are moving fastest on nuclear-AI integration.
• Follow Regulatory Changes: Watch for passage of the six nuclear permitting reform bills in Congress, including the REFUEL Act and American Enrichment Deployment Act, which will determine how quickly new reactors can be licensed and constructed.
• Monitor Prototype Development: Keep track of progress from the five companies awarded $2.2 billion in the Army's JANUS program, as their success or delays will signal whether the 2028 military deployment deadline is achievable.
• Assess Critical Mineral Supply Chains: Follow India-Russia negotiations over rare-earth deposits and rare-earth magnet production, as these materials are essential for both nuclear reactor components and AI chip manufacturing.

What Challenges Could Derail These Nuclear Plans?

Despite optimistic timelines, significant unknowns persist. Army official Jeff Waksman acknowledged substantial challenges ranging from regulatory issues to technical questions about safety, security, and nuclear waste management. The Pentagon's aggressive 2028 deadline leaves little room for delays, and historical precedent suggests that nuclear projects in the United States have faced decades of regulatory and political obstacles.

Pentagon CTO Emil Michael acknowledged that "in this country, we have made it impossible to build a nuclear reactor," citing the need for regulatory approval and the difficult licensing process. He framed the mere achievement of site selection as "good progress" given decades of stymied nuclear power projects.

Emil Michael

On the India-Russia front, technical studies on the proposed second nuclear power plant are still underway, and initial work on SMRs and floating nuclear power units has only recently begun. The timeline for these projects remains unclear, though officials indicated that progress may accelerate following the Modi-Putin meeting.

"Nuclear is a part of our past and it is integral to our future. It is the energy technology that will power AI, will take us to other planets, revolutionize manufacturing, and drastically reduce the cost of a fundamental civilizational input," said Isaiah Taylor, CEO of Valar Atomics.

Isaiah Taylor, CEO of Valar Atomics

The race to deploy nuclear-powered AI infrastructure reflects a broader recognition that traditional electrical grids cannot sustain the exponential growth in computing demand. Whether India-Russia cooperation or U.S. military deployment succeeds first will likely shape the geopolitical landscape of AI development for decades to come.