Question 1

The SHANTI Bill permits foreign direct investment in nuclear weapons technology.

Accepted Answer

It strictly opens the sector for peaceful, non-military uses such as electricity generation, healthcare, and agricultural applications.

Question 2

Private companies can now freely mine and export Uranium and Thorium.

Accepted Answer

Mining, processing, and export of prescribed radioactive substances (Uranium, Thorium) remain strictly controlled by the central government.

Question 3

Consider the following statements regarding the SHANTI Nuclear Energy Bill, 2025:
1. It repeals the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010 to remove supplier liability and attract foreign investment.
2. It allows 100 percent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in nuclear power generation under the automatic route.
3. The handling and reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel remains an exclusive domain of the Central Government.
How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

(a) Only one — Statement 1 is incorrect because the SHANTI Bill does not repeal the CLND Act, 2010; instead, it introduces an insurance pool mechanism to manage liability within the existing framework. Statement 2 is incorrect because the Bill allows up to 49 percent FDI in nuclear power generation under the government approval route, not 100 percent under the automatic route. Statement 3 is correct as the government retains absolute control over spent fuel reprocessing and high-level waste management.

Question 4

Match List I (Nuclear Institutions/Legislations) with List II (Primary Mandate/Feature):
List I:
A. Atomic Energy Act, 1962
B. AERB
C. CLND Act, 2010
D. SHANTI Bill, 2025

List II:
1. Addresses compensation and liability for nuclear incidents
2. Enables private ownership of civilian nuclear power plants
3. Established initial state monopoly over nuclear research and power
4. Enforces safety and regulatory oversight in nuclear facilities

Accepted Answer

(a) A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2 — The Atomic Energy Act, 1962 (A-3) established the central government's monopoly over atomic energy. The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) (B-4) is the safety and regulatory watchdog. The CLND Act, 2010 (C-1) deals with civil liability and compensation in case of nuclear damage. The SHANTI Bill, 2025 (D-2) opens the sector, enabling private ownership of civilian nuclear plants.

Question 5

Assertion (A): Under the SHANTI Bill, 2025, private entities are allowed to operate nuclear power plants but are restricted from managing deep geological repositories for high-level radioactive waste.
Reason (R): High-level radioactive waste contains weapons-grade fissile material and poses severe proliferation and long-term environmental risks, necessitating sovereign control.

Accepted Answer

(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A — Assertion A is true as the SHANTI Bill explicitly keeps high-level waste management and spent fuel reprocessing under state control, even while opening up plant operations. Reason R is true and correctly explains A, because the security (proliferation of fissile materials like Plutonium) and long-term environmental hazards of high-level waste make it too sensitive to be handed over to private players, requiring strict sovereign oversight.

Parliament Passes SHANTI Nuclear Energy Bill

13th India-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue