Failure of NPP construction in India: russia loses its nuclear influence
The war and international sanctions are gradually undermining russia’s ability to project influence through nuclear energy exports. Rosatom has missed the construction deadlines for a nuclear power plant in India and is now demanding a 55% increase in the project budget.
▫️ The cost of building four power units at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant has risen to $14.4 billion. The project is now nearly three years behind schedule. The main reasons include disruptions in equipment supplies and logistical challenges caused by sanctions and the consequences of russia’s war against Ukraine.
This situation is indicative of the broader crisis facing moscow’s expansionist strategy. For years, the kremlin has used Rosatom as an instrument of soft power and geopolitical leverage over countries in the Global South. Nuclear power projects tied entire national energy systems to russia—from technology transfers and fuel supplies to spent fuel management.
russia is no longer capable of fulfilling its contractual obligations, significantly undermining its geopolitical ambitions. Whereas russian nuclear projects were once viewed by countries in the Global South as attractive investments, they have now become a financial burden for partner states.
