b) Nuclear power is the fifth-largest source ofelectricityinIndiaafter coal, gas,hydroelectricityandwind power. As of March2018, India has 22nuclear reactorsin operation in 7nuclear power plants, having a total installed capacity of 6,780 MW.Nuclear power produced a total of 35TWhand supplied 3.22% of Indian electricity in 2017.6 more reactors are under construction with a combined generation capacity of 4,300 MW.

In October 2010, India drew up a plan to reach a nuclear power capacity of 63 GW in 2032,but after the 2011Fukushima nuclear disasterin Japan people around proposed Indian nuclear power plant sites have launched protests, raising questions about atomic energy as a clean and safe alternative to fossil fuels.There have been mass protests against the French-backed 9,900 MWJaitapur Nuclear Power Projectin Maharashtra and the Russian-backed 2,000 MWKudankulam Nuclear Power Plantin Tamil Nadu. Thestate government of West Bengal, has also refused permission to a proposed 6,000 MW facility near the town of Haripur that intended to host six Russian reactors.APublic Interest Litigation(PIL) has also been filed against the government’s civil nuclear programme at the Supreme Court.

The capacity factor of Indian reactors was at 79% in the year 2011-12 compared to 71% in 2010-11. Nine out of twenty Indian reactors recorded 97% capacity factor during 2011-12. With the imported uranium from France, the 220 MW Kakrapar 2 PHWR reactors recorded 99% capacity factor during 2011-12. The Availability factor for the year 2011-12 was at 89%.

India has been making advances in the field ofthorium-based fuels, working to design and develop a prototype for an atomic reactor using thorium and low-enriched uranium, a key part ofIndia's three stage nuclear power programme.The country has also recently re-initiated its involvement in theLENRresearch activities,in addition to supporting work done in thefusion powerarea through theITERinitiative.

BangladeshandIndiaare South Asian neighbours. Relations have been friendly, although sometimes there are border disputes. The historic land boundary agreement was signed on 6 June 2015 which opened a new era in the relations and further stopped all irritants in ties.They are common members ofSAARC,BIMSTEC,IORAand theCommonwealth. The two countries share many cultural ties. In particular, Bangladesh and the east Indian state ofWest BengalareBengali-speaking. Bangladesh has ahigh commissionin New Delhi with consulates inMumbaiandKolkata. India has ahigh commissioninDhakawith a consulate inChittagong. In 1971, theBangladesh Liberation Warbroke out betweenEast PakistanandWest Pakistan, India intervened in December 1971 on behalf of East Pakistan and helped secure East Pakistan's independence from Pakistan as the country ofBangladesh. In a 2014 survey, 70% of Bangladeshis expressed a favorable opinion and perception of India.Indo-Bangladesh bilateral trade surged by 24% to reach US$ 9.3 billion in the year 2018 from about US$ 7.52 billion in the preceding year.