India’s energy transition has entered a decisive phase, and the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, 2025, reflects that urgency. At a time when electricity demand is rising sharply due to industrial growth, urbanisation and digital expansion, the Bill seeks to reposition nuclear energy as a central pillar of India’s long-term clean power strategy rather than a marginal supplement.
For decades, nuclear power in India remained constrained by legacy laws, public-sector monopoly and slow capacity addition. Despite its advantages as a low-carbon, round-the-clock energy source, nuclear capacity accounts for less than 3 per cent of India’s total installed power base. The SHANTI Bill aims to change this trajectory by modernising the regulatory framework, enabling private participation under strict oversight and accelerating deployment of advanced nuclear technologies.
At its core, the Bill acknowledges a critical reality: renewables alone cannot sustain India’s future electricity needs. While solar and wind capacity has expanded rapidly, intermittency remains a structural limitation. Nuclear energy, with its ability to provide firm and predictable power, offers a stabilising counterbalance. The SHANTI Bill therefore treats nuclear not as a competitor to renewables, but as a complement that strengthens grid reliability while supporting India’s net-zero ambitions.
One of the Bill’s most significant aspects is its emphasis on innovation. It encourages the adoption of next-generation reactors, including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), which are faster to deploy, safer by design and suitable for industrial clusters, green hydrogen production and remote regions. By facilitating public–private partnerships in reactor construction and operation, the Bill aims to unlock capital, reduce project delays and bring global best practices into India’s nuclear ecosystem.
Equally important is the Bill’s focus on safety and governance. It reinforces regulatory independence, strengthens liability and waste-management provisions, and calls for greater transparency in nuclear operations. Public trust, often a barrier to nuclear expansion, is addressed through clearer accountability structures and improved communication on safety standards.
The SHANTI Bill also aligns nuclear development with India’s broader economic and strategic goals. Expanding domestic nuclear manufacturing could generate high-skilled employment, reduce import dependence and place India within global nuclear supply chains. With growing international interest in clean baseload power, India’s nuclear capabilities could eventually become an export asset rather than a domestic constraint.
Critically, the Bill reflects a shift in mindset. Nuclear energy is no longer viewed as an isolated sector governed by Cold War-era caution, but as a modern, indispensable tool for sustainable growth. The legislation recognises that energy security, climate commitments and industrial competitiveness must move together.
If implemented with regulatory rigour and institutional discipline, the SHANTI Bill, 2025, could mark the most consequential reform in India’s nuclear policy since independence. It has the potential to transform nuclear power from a peripheral contributor into a backbone of India’s clean energy future.
