The UK and India have jointly announced four new awards worth £4.8 million for nuclear research.

It is part of the Civil Nuclear Energy programme and projects will look into the next generation of more efficient and safer reactors, better predictive tools and better understand the effects that cyberattacks can have on a nuclear plant along with the most effective strategies.

Organisations that will work on the research programmes include the UK’s Sheffield University, the University of Manchester and Imperial College London and India’s Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research and Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.

The announcement was made during UK Science Minister Sam Gyimah’s visit to New Delhi, India today.

The two governments also renewed a Memorandum of Understanding focusing on environmental challenges and reinforced their desire to use science and innovation to address some of the biggest challenges faced, including the threat of climate change and energy consumption – and harness the opportunities brought by technological advancements.

Dr Harsh Vardhan, Indian Minister for Science and Technology said: “Technology co-operation is the key to the future. India and the UK should work on sustainable, affordable and low energy consumption technologies.”

Mr Gyimah added joint investment in science and innovation between the two nations is expected to reach around £400 million by 2021.