ITER a perfect example of age-old Indian belief ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’: PM

New Delhi, July 29

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The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a multi-nation project that aims to replicate energy of the Sun, is a perfect example of the age-old Indian belief ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said.

The start of assembly of the ITER Tokamak, the world’s largest fusion device, was celebrated on Tuesday at Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance, France.

Heads of states of all ITER member-countries participated either in person, or electronically through remote mode or conveyed their message.

The celebration was hosted virtually by President Emmanuel Macron.

Modi’s message was conveyed by India’s envoy to France’s Jawed Ashraf.

“Taking note of the global participation of scientists and engineers, he (the prime minister) projected ITER to be a perfect illustration of the age-old Indian belief—Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—the entire world is working together for the betterment of mankind,” a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said.

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 added that India stands proud with its fair share of contributions in terms of its in-kind contributions, like the cryostat, in vessel shields, substantial contributions to the cooling water, cryogenic and cryo-distribution systems, auxiliary heating devices using RF and beam technologies, multi megawatt power supplies and several diagnostics to help ITER to achieve and demonstrate its goal. PTI