The SHANTI Act 2025 is a major policy change in India's civil nuclear energy framework. The SHANTI Bill 2025 was passed by Lok Sabha on December 17, passed by Rajya Sabha on December 18, and received Presidential assent on December 20, 2025. The Act repeals the Atomic Energy Act 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act 2010. For exam preparation, the Act's name, assent date, and repealed Acts are direct recall points.
The central reform is the role given to the private sector. The Act enables private sector participation in nuclear plant operations, power generation, equipment manufacturing, and research in peaceful uses of atomic energy. It should therefore be studied not only as an energy-policy item, but also as a governance, regulation, liability, and long-term capacity-building issue.
On the regulatory side, the Act grants statutory recognition to AERB and establishes a graded liability framework. In prelims, direct questions may focus on the Act's name, approval timeline, repealed Acts, and the areas opened for private participation. In mains, the same facts can support answers on India's civil nuclear regime, private participation in the energy sector, regulatory bodies, and the target of 100 GWe nuclear capacity by 2047. In static preparation, AERB's statutory status, energy-sector regulation, and the civil use of nuclear technology can be studied together.