PARLIAMENT QUESTION: DOMESTIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN CRITICAL MEDICAL RADIOISOTOPE SUPPLY

The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) reports that the Dhruva reactor at BARC produces the key medical radioisotopes Mo‑99, I‑131 and Lu‑177, which together account for about 90 % of nuclear‑medicine applications. Production data for the last five years show annual outputs ranging from 268 Ci to 693 Ci for Mo‑99‑99mTc, 623 Ci to 813 Ci for I‑131 and 473 Ci to 976 Ci for Lu‑177. During reactor shutdowns, imports were made – e.g., 460 Ci of Mo‑99 from Australia and Russia in 2021‑22 and 136 Ci of Lu‑177 from Russia in 2025‑26. Shortfalls occurred, with up to 19 batches of Mo‑99 missed in 2024‑25. DAE has secured sanction for an “Engineering and Construction of Isotope Production Reactor” slated to start around 2035 with a 0.5 MCi capacity.