**Cancer Treatment in India Set to Become Cheaper with New Nuclear Reactor**
*By Dwaipayan Roy | Oct 12, 2025, 05:20 PM*
The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is planning to build a dedicated nuclear reactor in Visakhapatnam aimed at producing medical isotopes primarily for cancer treatment. This significant initiative is designed to boost India’s self-sufficiency in radioisotope production and make cancer treatment more affordable for patients across the country.
A senior official from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) confirmed that the project is underway and is expected to take four to five years to complete under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
**Dual-Purpose Reactor to Serve Domestic and Export Markets**
The proposed reactor in Visakhapatnam will fulfill domestic demands for medical isotopes and also have the capacity to cater to international markets through exports. The project has already received government approval, with funding currently awaited.
Under this PPP initiative, private players are expected to invest and become stakeholders, gaining the rights to sell produced radioisotopes. This collaboration aims to accelerate production and distribution while encouraging innovation in the nuclear medicine sector.
**Current Supply Scenario and Challenges**
At present, India lacks a dedicated reactor exclusively for isotope production. Existing nuclear reactors used in medical treatments also conduct physics and radiation experiments, which limits their capacity to focus on isotope generation.
BARC currently supplies approximately two lakh units of nuclear materials annually to medical institutions nationwide for diagnostics and treatment of diseases such as cancer. Major hospitals like Tata Memorial Centre handle about 10% of the total patient load, while around 370 other hospitals collectively manage nearly 60%.
**Reducing Dependence on Imports**
The new reactor is expected to significantly reduce India’s dependence on imported radioisotopes from Europe, Australia, and other Asian countries. Achieving self-sufficiency in isotope production will not only lower treatment costs but also strengthen India’s position as a key player in the global nuclear medicine market.
Radioisotopes produced by the reactor have wide-ranging applications, from medical imaging and cancer treatment to various industrial uses, such as detecting flow malfunctions and ensuring process efficiency.
With this new infrastructure, India moves closer to providing affordable, accessible cancer treatment while expanding its footprint in the rapidly growing nuclear medicine industry.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/india/india-to-get-dedicated-nuclear-reactor-for-cancer-treatment/story
