SHANTI Act, 2025
Opening Nuclear to Private Participation
The Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act, 2025 is landmark legislation that replaced the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (CLNDA), 2010. It fundamentally restructures India's nuclear legal framework.
- Repeals: Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010
- Private sector entry: Allows private companies to participate in plant operations, power generation, equipment manufacturing, and fuel fabrication (uranium enrichment up to a threshold; sensitive activities remain under government)
- Liability framework: Replaces fixed statutory cap on operator liability with a graded liability structure based on plant type and capacity
- AERB given statutory recognition: Previously a subordinate body under DAE; now has independent statutory basis
- Civil liability reform: Removed the controversial Clause 17(b) of CLNDA that allowed operators to sue suppliers — a key obstacle to US and foreign nuclear suppliers entering India
- Relevant to Indo-US civil nuclear cooperation (123 Agreement, 2007): Resolves a long-standing liability deterrent for US companies like Westinghouse
- India's Small Modular Reactor (SMR) mission: Part of the broader nuclear push; SMRs have lower capital costs and faster deployment timelines
● Tracked since February 01, 2026 · last seen August 27, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
15 Aug '26
India has set target of 200 GW nuclear energy, setting up five new reactors: PM
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13 Aug '26
5 indigenous small modular reactors targeted by 2033, Jitendra Singh tells LS
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23 May '26
Why SHANTI Act’s nuclear liability limits are under Supreme Court scrutiny
Polity & Governance
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