The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the SHANTI Bill, a cornerstone of legislation aimed at opening India’s tightly controlled civil nuclear sector to private participation and significantly expanding the country’s nuclear power capacity. The bill, which targets achieving 100 gigawatts (GW) of nuclear energy capacity by 2047, was cleared by a voice vote amid a strike by opposition parties, who raised concerns over safety, transparency, and civil discussion.
The SHANTI Bill marks a major shift in India’s nuclear energy policy, which has historically been dominated by state-run realities under strict government oversight. With this legislation, the government has gestured its intent to accelerate nuclear power development by allowing lesser participation from domestic private players while maintaining nonsupervisory control and public security safeguards.
Introducing the bill in the House, the government described it as a pivotal step towards ensuring long-term energy security and meeting India’s climate commitments. Ministers said nuclear energy would play a central part in India’s transition to clean and dependable power, especially as the country aims to achieve net-zero emigration targets while supporting rapid-fire profitable growth.
Under the proposed frame, private companies will be permitted to share in named areas of the nuclear value chain, including reactor construction, power generation, outfit manufacturing, and operations, subject to strict licensing and nonsupervisory blessing. The government clarified that strategic control, energy operation, and transnational scores would remain under public sector and autonomous oversight.
The bill outlines a roadmap to expand nuclear power capacity from the current situation to 100 GW by the time 2047 arrives, coinciding with India’s centenary of independence. This expansion is anticipated to involve the construction of new reactors, deployment of advanced reactor technologies, and lesser integration of nuclear power into the public energy blend.
Government representatives argued that the SHANTI Bill would help overcome long-standing challenges faced by the nuclear sector, such as high capital costs, long gravidity ages, and limited public backing. By enabling private investment, the government hopes to mobilize capital, bring in technological invention, and speed up design prosecution.
The legislation also places emphasis on safety and nonsupervisory compliance. It strengthens the part of nuclear nonsupervisory authorities and authorizations strict adherence to transnational safety norms. Vittles have been included to ensure liability fabrics, exigency preparedness, waste operation, and environmental protection are robust and transparent.
Opposition parties, still, expressed strong reservations about the bill. They questioned the decision to open a sensitive sector to private players and raised concerns about responsibility in case of accidents. Several opposition members demanded a detailed discussion and apportioned the bill to an administrative commission, arguing that nuclear energy involves high pitfalls that bear broader agreement.
As demurrers continued in the House, opposition members offered a strike, accusing the government of rushing the bill without acceptable debate. Despite the dislocation, the bill was passed by a voice vote, reflecting the government’s numerical strength in the Lok Sabha.
Outside Parliament, responses to the passage of the SHANTI Bill were mixed. Assiduity experts are on the move, calling it a long-overdue reform that could unleash India’s nuclear eventuality. They noted that numerous countries with advanced nuclear programs have successfully involved private players under strong nonsupervisory fabrics, performing in brisk capacity expansion and technological progress.
Energy judges pointed out that nuclear power offers a stable and low-carbon energy source, capable of furnishing base-load power unlike intermittent renewable sources such as solar and wind. With rising electricity demand and the need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, nuclear energy is seen as a crucial element of India’s long-term energy strategy.
Environmental groups, still, prompted caution, pressing enterprises related to radioactive waste disposal, land accession, and the social impact of large nuclear systems. They called for lesser public engagement, transparency, and independent oversight as the sector opens up.
The SHANTI Bill also has counteraccusations for employment and skill development. The government stated that the expansion of the nuclear sector would produce thousands of high-profile jobs in engineering, exploration, construction, and factory operations. It’s also anticipated to boost domestic manufacturing of nuclear outfits and factors, supporting the government’s broader artificial and tone-reliant pretensions.
Internationally, the passage of the bill is anticipated to strengthen India’s position as a responsible nuclear power with ambitious clean energy pretensions. The government reiterated that India would continue to recognize its transnational commitments and non-proliferation scores, indeed as it expands its mercenary nuclear program.
As the bill moves to the coming stage of legislative blessing, attention will turn to the detailed rules and regulations that will govern private participation. Experts say effective perpetration, transparent oversight, and public confidence will be critical to the success of the reform.
With the passage of the SHANTI Bill, the government has taken a decisive step towards reshaping India’s nuclear energy geography. Whether the ambitious target of 100 GW by 2047 can be achieved will depend on policy clarity, investment overflows, technological readiness, and the capability to address safety and public enterprises. The legislation, still, has incontrovertibly opened a new chapter in India’s pursuit of clean, secure, and sustainable energy.
Lok Sabha
Nuclear power
Nuclear sector
SHANTI BILL
