3 Things Overhauling India’s nuclear sector, Bihar lynching case, and political funding
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Dec 22, 2025 Amitabh Sinha, a journalist specializing in nuclear affairs for The Indian Express, discusses significant reforms in India's nuclear policy, emphasizing the shift towards private sector involvement. He highlights the Shanti Bill, which aims to enhance nuclear capacity and address supplier liability issues. Himanshu Harsh, a crime reporter, shares the harrowing story of Mohamed Atar Hussein’s lynching in Bihar, detailing the aftermath and community struggles. The dialogue also covers a notable surge in political funding through electoral trusts, with the BJP receiving a large majority.
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Nuclear Ambition To Meet Rising Power Needs
- India plans a major nuclear overhaul to scale from 9 GW to 100 GW by 2047 to meet rising electricity demand.
- Amitabh Sinha argues private and foreign participation is now seen as necessary to achieve that rapid expansion.
Liability Shift To Spur Vendor Participation
- The new bill removes a statutory supplier recourse obligation and leaves supplier liability to contractual terms between operator and vendor.
- Amitabh Sinha notes this change addresses a major deterrent for foreign vendors under the 2010 law.
Strategic Activities Kept With Government
- Key sensitive activities like uranium mining, enrichment and heavy water production remain under government control.
- Amitabh Sinha explains these areas were excluded because they have dual-use military implications.