India on Monday achieved a long-awaited milestone in its civil nuclear energy programme as the country's most advanced atomic reactor - the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu - attained criticality, marking the start of a sustained nuclear fission chain reaction and bringing the reactor one decisive step away from full operation. Announcing the development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described it as a defining moment in India's nuclear journey. "Today, India takes a defining step in its civil nuclear journey, advancing the second stage of its nuclear programme. The indigenously designed and built Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam has attained criticality," the Prime Minister said in a statement. He added that the achievement reflects "the depth of our scientific capability and the strength of our engineering enterprise," and is a decisive step towards harnessing India's vast thorium reserves in the future.