Minister Jaishankar confirmed the interaction on social media.

SHANTI Act: US and India Deepen Civil Nuclear Partnership

The United States has expressed a strong interest in strengthening civil nuclear cooperation with India after the remarkable milestone of the SHANTI Act. 

In a high-level diplomatic outreach, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a productive phone conversation with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to discuss the future of the strategic partnership.

According to a readout from US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott, Secretary Rubio congratulated India on enacting the "Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India", or SHANTI, Act. 

The US intends to capitalise on this legislative shift to expand opportunities for American companies and secure critical mineral supply chains. The SHANTI Act, which replaced the 1962 Atomic Energy Act, allows private participation in nuclear power generation while keeping strategic fuel-cycle activities under government control.

Minister Jaishankar confirmed the interaction on social media. He noted that the dialogue covered domains including trade, defence, and energy security. This diplomatic movement is significant, as it comes amidst recent frictions over trade tariffs and India’s import of Russian crude oil. 

Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and agreed to expedite bilateral trade negotiations. The outreach signals a shared intent to prioritise long-term technological ties over immediate economic disputes.

Source: The Tribune