President Droupadi Murmu has given assent to the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, marking a landmark moment for the country’s atomic energy sector. The legislation opens India’s civil nuclear domain to private companies for the first time, signaling a major shift in national energy policy. The SHANTI Bill was approved during the Winter Session of Parliament and formally notified by the government, clearing the way for private investment and participation in nuclear power generation.
The Bill replaces all existing civil nuclear laws, including the Atomic Energy Act of 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act of 2010. The government stated that these laws had become obstacles to expanding India’s nuclear capacity and were limiting growth momentum. With the new framework, private companies and joint ventures will be able to build, own, operate and decommission nuclear power plants once they secure the required government licences.
While opening the sector to private participation, the SHANTI Bill ensures that core strategic functions remain under exclusive state control. Activities related to uranium and thorium mining, fuel enrichment, isotopic separation, reprocessing of spent fuel, heavy water production and management of high-level radioactive waste will continue to be handled only by the central government or state-owned entities. The legislation aims to balance commercial expansion with national security and safety standards.
The bill’s approval reflects India’s renewed push towards expanding nuclear energy capacity as part of its long-term power planning and carbon reduction goals. Supporters of the legislation believe it will boost domestic generation, attract investment, strengthen research and accelerate technological development in the sector. It also aligns with India’s growing demand for stable, clean baseload power sources as electricity consumption rises nationwide.
The enactment came shortly after President Murmu also cleared the Viksit Bharat—Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025. The bill replaces the MGNREGA framework and introduces a new employment model aligned with India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. Together, the reforms signal a period of broad structural change in both energy and social programmes. The SHANTI Bill is expected to reshape India’s nuclear future and redefine how public and private entities contribute to power development in the decades ahead.
