The US nuclear industry is preparing a comprehensive submission to India on the draft rules and regulations for implementing the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act, which has opened the atomic energy sector to private participation.The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), which earlier this year led a delegation of US nuclear industry representatives to India to explore opportunities in the civil nuclear sector, held discussions on Thursday with legal experts in India and the Nuclear Energy Institute, a US-based nuclear industry body."USISPF is coordinating a comprehensive industry submission to the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India (GOI) by the September 4 deadline," the USISPF said in a social media post.The DAE last week released the draft rules and regulations under the SHANTI Act and invited comments from stakeholders by September 4.USISPF also conducted a virtual briefing for members of its Nuclear Industry Committee on the recently released draft rules and regulations."The virtual session convened senior industry leaders from across the nuclear value chain and covered: key provisions of the Draft SHANTI Rules and Draft SHANTI Regulations - what they mean for industry; implications for private sector entry, licensing, liability, and project structuring; and areas requiring industry attention and potential feedback to the government," the USISPF said.— USISPForum (@USISPForum) The session featured Suhaan Mukerji of Delhi-based PLR Chambers and Ted Jones, Senior Director for National Security and International Programmes at the Nuclear Energy Institute, as expert speakers.The draft rules represent the first detailed framework for implementing the opening of India's nuclear sector to private companies. They set out procedures related to licensing, insurance and approvals, while retaining government control over sensitive activities.The SHANTI Act allows private companies and joint ventures to build, own and operate nuclear power plants, as well as decommission them and undertake nuclear research and development.The legislation also permits private players to manufacture nuclear fuel and use ionising radiation for non-power applications across areas such as medicine and agriculture, as well as other industries.India has set a target of raising its nuclear power generation capacity to 100 GW by 2047. It also plans to develop at least five indigenous Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) by 2033. SMRs are advanced nuclear fission plants capable of generating up to 300 MW of electricity.