SHANTI: Power and peril

The Narendra Modi government has a well-known fondness for acronyms, and the latest addition to this expanding alphabet soup is SHANTI-the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Bill, 2025.

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The word may suggest calm and reassurance, but the manner in which the Bill was passed raises questions that are anything but tranquil. Whether such a complex and far-reaching piece of legislation received the scrutiny it deserved is a moot point.Nuclear energy is not just another sector waiting to be "reformed"; it involves risks that are long-term, trans-generational, and potentially catastrophic. The Bill replaces two major laws-the Atomic Energy Act of 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act of 2010. Its most significant departure from past policy is the opening up of nuclear power generation to public, private, and joint sector participation. Until now, nuclear energy was the exclusive preserve of the Central government.