Parliament Passes SHANTI Bill, Overhauls India’s Nuclear Energy and Liability Framework

Parliament has passed the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, 2025, replacing the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010.

The law permits Indian private companies and joint ventures to undertake specified nuclear activities, while continuing to bar companies incorporated outside India.

It retains the no-fault liability principle for nuclear incidents and introduces a tiered liability structure ranging from ₹100 crore to ₹3,000 crore based on reactor capacity.

The legislation removes supplier liability except where contractually agreed or involving deliberate acts, grants statutory status to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, and sets up an Atomic Energy Redressal Advisory Council to hear appeals.