Landmark SHANTI Act Reinvents US-India Nuclear Energy Ties

The recently enacted SHANTI Act in India marks a landmark shift in global nuclear energy collaboration, according to Maria Korsnick, President and CEO of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI). The Act revises India's nuclear energy framework, allowing private sector participation in nuclear energy operations for the first time since the country's independence.

Speaking to ANI, Korsnick emphasized the strong potential for US-India partnerships under the new legislative environment, facilitated by a high-level trade mission orchestrated by NEI and the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum. She noted that, while the 2005 US-India civil nuclear agreement was a major step forward, it failed to resolve liability issues that have stalled commercial progress for two decades.

The SHANTI Act removes these bottlenecks, encouraging US vendors to engage in multi-layered joint ventures with Indian counterparts. Korsnick pointed out that evolving nuclear technologies and a shared focus on clean energy targets make this an attractive prospect, highlighting its strategic importance for Indo-Pacific regional stability.

(With inputs from agencies.)