India Opens Nuclear Power Sector to Private Players with Presidential Assent to SHANTI Bill
President Murmu assents to SHANTI Bill, opening India's nuclear sector to private participation.
President Droupadi Murmu has granted assent to the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (Shanti) Bill, recently passed by Parliament during the Winter Session. The development was officially confirmed through a government notification issued on Saturday. With the President’s approval, the Bill has now become law, signalling a major reform in India’s civil nuclear framework. The move is expected to boost investment and innovation in the sector.
The Shanti Bill consolidates and replaces all existing laws governing India’s civil nuclear sector. Notably, it repeals the Atomic Energy Act of 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010. These laws were widely viewed as restrictive and had discouraged private and foreign investment. Their repeal is aimed at creating a more flexible and growth-oriented regulatory environment.
A key feature of the new law is the opening up of the nuclear power sector to private companies. Under the Shanti Bill, private firms and joint ventures are allowed to build, own, operate, and decommission nuclear power plants. However, such activities will require licences and regulatory oversight from the central government. This marks a significant departure from the earlier state-dominated model.
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The government has clarified that certain strategic and sensitive activities will remain under exclusive state control. These include uranium and thorium mining, enrichment, isotopic separation, reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel, management of high-level radioactive waste, and heavy water production. Only the central government or government-owned entities will be permitted to undertake these functions. This ensures national security and safety concerns remain safeguarded.
Experts believe the Shanti Bill could accelerate India’s clean energy transition by increasing nuclear power capacity. Private participation is expected to bring in capital, advanced technology, and operational efficiency. The reform also aligns with India’s long-term goals of energy security and reduced carbon emissions. Overall, the Bill represents a bold step toward modernising India’s nuclear energy ecosystem.
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