Indian scientists have made valuable contributions to ITER project: PM Modi

Indian scientists have made valuable contributions to the ITER project and have demonstrated India's capabilities of design and manufacture at the most advanced levels, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said as the assembly of the world's largest fusion device commenced in France on Tuesday.

The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project aims to replicate the energy of the sun. On Tuesday, it reached a critical phase as scientists and technicians in southern France began assembling huge parts of a nuclear fusion device.

Leaders of many countries attended the event virtually.

Jawed Ashraf, Indian envoy to France, read out Modi's message.

"Delivered @narendramodi message on international ITER project in France for energy from thermonuclear fusion. PM's message says India's key contribution underlines: 1. India works for good of humanity. 2. We can Make in India at highest global level,” Ashraf tweeted.

Modi said the beginning of ITER assembly activities is an extraordinary journey of many years of commitment, dedication and hardwork by scientists, engineers and technicians.

"They have successfully developed and fabricated a wide range of entirely new components that represent design, innovation and engineering of great complexity and precision. They have done this while adhering to schedules and timelines,” the prime minister said on his message.

He also lauded Indian scientists and engineers involved in the project.

"Indian scientists have also made valuable contributions to the development and fabrication of the cryostat, the cooling system, the cryo distribution system and several kilometres of cryo lines. They remain involved in other aspects of the project," he said.

"They have demonstrated India's capabilities of design and manufacture at the most advanced levels. Equally, our institutions, scientists and engineers have benefited enormously from collaborating with their peers from around the world. India is proud to be part of the global enterprise that is at the frontier of science and engineering,” he said.

India is responsible for delivery of the cryostat, in-wall shielding, cooling water system, cryogenic system, ion-cyclotron RF heating system, electron cyclotron RF Heating System, diagnostic neutral beam system, power supplies, diagnostics.

India formally joined the ITER Project in 2005 and the ITER Agreement between the partners was signed in 2006.

ITER Organisation (IO) is the central team responsible for construction at the site and operation, while the ITER partners created their own domestic agencies to deliver their commitments to ITER. ITER-India is the Indian domestic agency.

Its partners are the European Union, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the United States. The European Union being the host party contributes 45 per cent while the rest of the parties contribute nine per cent each. Most of these contributions are through 'in-kind' procurement of ITER components.

Modi said ITER is a project of an extraordinary vision and ambition and of unparalleled scale and complexity and by seeking to simulate the sun's energy production on earth it is attempting a task of cosmic proportions.

"This shared endeavour for our common good is a perfect symbol of the age old Indian belief -- Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam -- the entire world is one family,” the prime minister said.