As Southeast Asia grapples with the fragility of global fossil fuel supply chains, a “nuclear renaissance” is rapidly redrawing the region’s energy map. Driven by geopolitical instability and the growing energy demands of a digital economy, nearly 40 nations, led by a coalition including the U.S., Japan, and China, are racing to triple global nuclear capacity by 2050.
For newcomer nuclear nations, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, the stakes extend beyond environmental concerns. The transition represents a calculated move toward energy sovereignty, allowing nations to reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels and strengthen industrial resilience.
At the same time, it introduces a new dependence on uranium supply chains, advanced reactor technology, and foreign expertise, setting the stage for a high-stakes geopolitical and commercial competition over nuclear infrastructure and know-how.
The Russian foothold: Vietnam and Bangladesh
While Western nations have largely focused on regulatory frameworks, Moscow has aggressively positioned itself as a primary nuclear partner in the Global South.
- Vietnam’s strategic reversal: Hanoi has officially revived the Ninh Thuan 1 project. Following a high-level Kremlin meeting on March 23, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and President Vladimir Putin confirmed that the 2,400 MW project is back on track. Using Russian VVER-1200 technology, the plant is set to become the cornerstone of Vietnam’s plan to shield its industrial sector from climate-driven failures in its hydroelectric grid.
- Bangladesh’s operational milestone: The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is nearing completion. Fuel loading, scheduled for April 7, 2026, is expected to be a high-profile virtual event featuring Russian President Vladimir Putin alongside Bangladeshi leadership. This US$12.6 billion facility, largely financed by Russian credit, is set to deliver 300 MW of commercial power to the national grid by July, further cementing Moscow’s foothold in the region.
Geopolitical competition for Indonesia’s nuclear market
Hashim Djojohadikusumo, The Indonesian President’s Special Envoy for Energy and Climate, stated that the government is targeting the construction of a nuclear power plant (PLTN) with a capacity of 7 gigawatts (GW) in stages until 2034. Rather than relying solely on conventional large-scale plants, Jakarta is betting on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) to power its fractured geography.
With its neighbor Vietnam following the Russian path, Indonesia’s nuclear market has become a focal point of intense geopolitical competition. On March 15, 2026, during the Indo-Pacific Energy Security Ministerial in Tokyo, Indonesia and Japan signed a landmark Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC), signed by Minister Bahlil Lahadalia, under the U.S.-led FIRST (Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology) initiative. The agreement positions Japan, backed by U.S. interests, as a leading contender against Russian and Chinese influence in Indonesia’s burgeoning nuclear sector.