The SHANTI Bill signals a conscious move towards a more conventional model, reflecting the realities of nuclear commerce while raising important questions about victim protection, state responsibility, and the future trajectory of nuclear governance.

The introduction of a tiered liability structure, under which operator liability caps vary depending on the size and nature of the nuclear installation, brings India closer to international trends seen in regimes influenced by the Vienna and Paris Conventions. In doing so, India enhances investor certainty and predictability in its nuclear energy sector.

Perhaps the most significant reform is the removal of the statutory right of recourse against suppliers. This shift reflects an acknowledgment that nuclear energy, cannot thrive under legal uncertainty that disproportionately burdens suppliers. The SHANTI Bill thus revives an enduring debate in nuclear liability law: should economic feasibility take precedence over broader notions of distributive justice and deterrence?