SHANTI Act, 2025

SHANTI Act, 2025
Parliament of India
  • An Act to provide for the promotion and development of nuclear energy and ionising radiation for nuclear power generation, application in healthcare, food, water, agriculture, industry, research, environment, innovation in nuclear science and technology, for the welfare of the people of India, and for robust regulatory framework for its safe and secure utilisation and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto
CitationAct No. 39 of 2025
Territorial extent India
Considered byHouse of the People
Passed17 December 2025
Considered byCouncil of States
Passed18 December 2025
Assented to byDroupadi Murmu
(President of India)
Assented to20 December 2025
Initiating chamber: House of the People
Introduced byJitendra Singh
Introduced15 December 2025
Repeals
Atomic Energy Act, 1962
Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010
Status: In force

The Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Act, 2025, commonly known as the SHANTI Act, 2025, is an Act of the Parliament of India governing nuclear energy and ionising radiation.

The Act repeals and replaces the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010. It was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 15 December 2025 and subsequently passed in both houses of parliament. It received presidential assent on 20 December 2025. From 14 August to 4 September 2026, the Department of Atomic Energy released the draft rules and regulations of the act for public consultation.

The Act supports India's Nuclear Energy Mission (NEM), announced in 2025, that has an objective of 100 gigawatt (GWe) of nuclear capacity by 2047. In 2026 the country had a nuclear power capacity of 8.8 GW. The NEM supports the government's vision of Viksit Bharat and the goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2070.

Background

The Atomic Energy Act, 1962 is the foundational legislation that provides "for the development, control and use of atomic energy for the welfare of the people of India and for other peaceful purposes." It repealed the Atomic Energy Act of 1948. An amendment to the 1962 Act in 1987 cleared the way for the formation of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India which helped in consolidating the monopoly of the state in the nuclear sector.

The Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010 provides "for civil liability for nuclear damage and prompt compensation to the victims of a nuclear incident through a no-fault liability regime channeling liability to the operator". The 2010 Act, specifically Section (§) 17(b) and §46, were controversial; §17b covered supplier liabilty and a 'right to recourse' while §46 allows claims under other domestic acts in addition to this Act.

Contents

Section (§) 3 titled 'Grant of Licence and Safety Authorisation' covers those that are eligible to apply for a licence, namely not only the Government as was the case before according to the Atomic Energy Act of 1962, but also companies and joint ventures. The licence shall cover "building, owning, operating or decommissioning a nuclear power plant or reactor" among other things.

§17 gives statutory regulatory authority to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Malhotra, Akshay; Saggi, Kush; Bhargava, Kopal (February 2026). "India's Nuclear Renaissance". TT&A. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  2. ↑ "The Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Bill, 2025". PRS Legislative Research. Retrieved 14 October 2026.
  3. ↑ "SHANTI Act 2025: Rewiring India's Nuclear Liability and Regulatory Architecture". Norton Rose Fulbright. December 2025. Retrieved 14 October 2026.
  4. ↑ Chouhan, Rahul; Kumar, Shashwat; Gupta, Harshit (24 December 2025). "SHANTI Act, 2025: Nuclear Power Projects - Relevance for Private Stakeholders". Lexology. Retrieved 14 October 2026.
  5. ↑ "President Droupadi Murmu Grants Assent To Shanti Bill, Private Firms To Enter Nuclear Sector". NDTV. Press Trust of India. 22 December 2025. Retrieved 22 October 2026.
  6. ↑ Singh, Kirti (3 September 2026). "India's Draft Shanti Rules & Regulations and Unresolved Constraints". Council for Strategic and Defense Research. New Delhi. Retrieved 14 October 2026.
  7. ↑ "Public Consultation on Draft SHANTI Rules and Draft SHANTI Regulations". Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India. Archived from the original on 14 October 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Parliament Question: Progress Under Nuclear Energy Mission". Press Information Bureau. 23 July 2026. Retrieved 22 October 2026.
  9. ↑ "India targets over ten-fold expansion in nuclear power capacity from 8.8 GW to 100 GW by 2047: CEA Chairperson". The Economic Times. ANI. 17 April 2026. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 22 October 2026.
  10. ↑ The Atomic Energy Act, 1962 with amendments – via Atomic Energy Regulatory Board. Retrieved 14 October 2026.
  11. ↑ "The Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, 2025". Press Information Bureau. 19 December 2025. Retrieved 23 October 2026.
  12. ↑ The Civil Liability For Nuclear Damage Act, 2010 – via Indian Kanoon. Retrieved 14 October 2026.
  13. ↑ Kumar, A Vinod; Patil, Kapil (8 December 2014). "Resolving India's Nuclear Liability Impasse" (PDF). Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. IDSA Issue Brief. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  14. ↑ "Nuclear Suppliers' Liability and the Attempt to Dilute Section 46". Centre for Law & Policy Research. 15 February 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  15. ↑ "Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Act, 2025" (PDF). Gazette of India. 21 December 2025 – via PRS Legislative Research.
  16. ↑ Sharma, Lokendra (16 January 2026). "Shanti Act Advances Reform, Streamlines and Dilutes Liability". Takshashila Institution. Retrieved 24 October 2026.
  17. ↑ Sansanwal, Gaurav (19 December 2025). "Back in Play: U.S.-India Nuclear Partnership Finds a New Opening". Center for Strategic & International Studies.