Nuclear Energy Bill 2025: Decoding Safety, Liability And Modernisation

The Rajya Sabha took up the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, 2025, for consideration and passage today (Dec. 18), a day after the Lok Sabha cleared the legislation. With the Bill already passed by the Lower House, its approval in the Rajya Sabha would pave the way for it to become a law.

Lok Sabha passed the bill on Dec. 17 amid strong demand from the opposition members to send the legislation to a parliamentary panel for review. The government had tabled the Bill in Parliament on Dec. 15, with Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh introducing the legislation.

The proposed law seeks to overhaul India’s nuclear energy framework. It aims to replace the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010, with a single legal framework.

At the operational level, the Bill sets out a structured framework for licencing and safety authorisation of specified persons engaged in the production or use of nuclear energy.

It clearly defines the conditions under which licences may be suspended or cancelled, strengthening regulatory oversight.

The scope of regulation is expanded to cover nuclear and radiation technologies used in healthcare, food and agriculture, industry and research. At the same time, the Bill exempts research, development and innovation activities from licencing requirements.

The legislation also strengthens provisions related to safety, security, safeguards, quality assurance and emergency preparedness, reflecting an emphasis on risk management as nuclear capacity grows.

A key element of the proposed law is a revised civil liability framework for nuclear damage. The Bill seeks to introduce what it describes as a more pragmatic approach, while reinforcing institutional mechanisms to handle claims.

It provides for the creation of new bodies, including an Atomic Energy Redressal Advisory Council, the appointment of Claims Commissioners and the establishment of a Nuclear Damage Claims Commission in cases of severe nuclear damage. The Appellate Tribunal for Electricity is designated as the appellate authority under this framework.

In a regulatory shift, the Bill also confers statutory status on the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board.

The government has linked the proposed legislation to India’s long-term energy transition and climate commitments, including the goal of decarbonisation by 2070 and a target of achieving 100 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity by 2047.

The Statement of Objects and Reasons highlights the need to harness indigenous nuclear resources more effectively and to enable the participation of both public and private sectors. It also positions India as a potential contributor to the global nuclear energy ecosystem.

By repealing outdated laws and bringing nuclear governance under a single statute, the Bill signals an effort to modernise the sector in line with technological progress, international obligations and future energy requirements.