SHANTI Act 2025: New Law for India’s Civil Nuclear Sector
Why in the news
The President assented to the SHANTI Bill, 2025, passed in the Winter Session, a major reform of civil nuclear governance.
Key facts
- One unified law covering regulation, licensing, safety and liability.
- Aims: more nuclear capacity, regulated private participation, modern safety and liability systems.
Key features
| Area | Provision |
|---|---|
| Licensees | Indian private firms, government-private joint ventures, other entities the Centre permits |
| Activities | Building, owning, running and decommissioning plants; fuel fabrication, transport, trade, storage |
| Liability | No-fault liability and compulsory insurance kept; tiered caps by reactor capacity; Centre pays above the operator’s cap |
| Recourse | No automatic claim on suppliers; only if the contract allows or damage was deliberate |
| Reach | Compensation for damage in foreign states from Indian incidents, under conditions |
| AERB | Statutory status; chairperson, one whole-time member, up to seven part-time experts; 3-year term, extendable to 6 |
| Appeals | Atomic Energy Redressal Advisory Council, chaired by the Atomic Energy Commission chairperson; then the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity |
Exam angle
- Regulator given legal backing: AERB.
- Council members include heads of BARC, AERB and CEA.