Moon Nuclear Reactor Race: Will India Ditch the US and Back China-Russia?

The global space race is entering a new phase, and India is at the center of it. After strained ties with Washington due to President Donald Trump’s tariffs and criticism over Russian oil imports, questions are being raised about whether India will continue to side with the US or shift towards China and Russia. The big competition now is not just about reaching the Moon, but about building nuclear reactors there — a step that could decide which country leads in space power and future dominance. India, which made history in 2023 by landing Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon’s South Pole, is now being watched closely as the world’s superpowers prepare for the next big lunar race.

The Moon Race: China & Russia vs America

The United States has set a target of building a 100-kilowatt nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2030, while China and Russia together have announced plans to build a half-megawatt reactor by 2035. This brings up a critical question: which side will India choose? Will it go with the US-led Artemis Accords, or join the Russia-China-led International Lunar Research Station (ILRS)? India will have to take a side, otherwise it risks being left out of the competition altogether. Meanwhile, American scientists have been frustrated since Trump’s return. His administration cut NASA’s budget by 24%, reducing it from $25 billion to $19 billion, and also laid off 20% of its employees. Yet, Trump insists that America must build a nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2030. NASA’s acting chief, Sean Duffy, recently said that the US aims to establish a nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2030. He added that America’s goal is to beat China to the Moon and claim the “best” part of it. “There is a particular part of the Moon that everyone knows is the most valuable,” he said. “It has ice. It has sunlight. We want to be the first to get there and claim it for America.” He was referring to the South Pole — the same location where India landed its rover and where ice has already been discovered. America’s Artemis program revolves around this goal, and India plays an important role in it.

Will India Choose the US or China?

Trump’s actions have derailed India-US relations. Meanwhile, Alexey Likhachev, head of Russia’s nuclear energy agency Rosatom, claimed that India has shown “interest” in joining the ILRS project, which also includes China. While India has not officially confirmed this, changing geopolitical dynamics make it hard to rule out — especially now that India-China ties have started improving again. India will ultimately have to choose one side. Both the US project and the Russia-China project are progressing quickly. Russia also believes that India’s lunar expertise is highly advanced, and its participation would significantly accelerate the project. Therefore, India must decide whether it wants to play a limited role with the US in the Moon’s nuclear project or move forward in partnership with Russia and China. Both paths present opportunities as well as risks. But one thing is certain: the winner of this new space race will be the one who can light up its “nuclear sun” in the dark nights of the Moon.