Statecraft: Shanti Bill 2025 Repeals 1962 Act, Opens Nuclear Sector to Private Players

On this episode of Statecraft, Foreign Affairs Editor Geeta Mohan analyses the 'Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Bill' (Shanti Bill 2025). Tabled in the Lok Sabha on December 15, the legislation repeals the Atomic Energy Act 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act 2010, ending the government's monopoly and inviting private participation. Geeta Mohan highlights the hypocrisy of Pakistan’s objections, contrasting India’s 'transparent' record with Islamabad’s history of 'illicit proliferation' under A.Q. Khan. The show explores how the bill caps liability at 300 million special drawing rights and grants statutory status to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board.