New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, 2025, a legislation that aims to open up the country’s nuclear power sector to private companies while limiting the liability of suppliers in the event of an accident.
The Bill, which had already been passed by the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, was introduced in the Upper House and cleared by a voice vote.
Union Minister of State for Atomic Energy Jitendra Singh defended the legislation during the discussion, emphasising that the safety provisions in the SHANTI Bill are identical to those under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962. “The standard operating procedures clearly state ‘safety first, second production’,” he said, adding that the existing Atomic Energy Regulatory Board will now have statutory authority under the new law. Singh also noted that source material, fissile material, and spent fuel will remain under government custody.
The Bill received mixed reactions from opposition MPs. Congress MP Jairam Ramesh cautioned against sidelining the public sector, saying, “I am in favour of private participation, but private investment cannot be the engine. The engine needs to be in the public sector.”
Responding to a question from TMC MP Sagarika Ghose on whether the Bill favoured “crony capitalists,” Singh said the liability provisions were graded to allow smaller players, such as those wishing to set up small modular nuclear reactors, to participate without undue risk.
DMK MP P. Wilson criticised the legislation strongly, warning that it could lead to a reduction in government oversight. He called the Bill “reckless, dangerous, and a deeply flawed attempt to privatise an essential function.”
The SHANTI Bill is seen as a major reform in India’s nuclear energy landscape, signalling the government’s intent to attract private investment and technological innovation in a sector traditionally dominated by the public sector.
While the government insists that the law preserves stringent safety norms, opposition leaders have raised concerns over potential risks, liability limits, and the balance between public and private involvement in a sector critical to national energy security.
With the passage of the SHANTI Bill, India’s nuclear energy sector may witness greater private participation in the coming years, although debates over safety, liability, and oversight are likely to continue.