Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron visited the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) in Cadarache, France, on Wednesday. This marked the first-ever visit by any Head of State or Government to the world’s most ambitious fusion energy project.

Leaders Appreciate ITER’s Advancements

The leaders were welcomed by the Director General of ITER, who provided an overview of the project’s progress. They commended the efforts of engineers and scientists working on the assembly of the world’s largest Tokamak, a device designed to produce 500 MW of fusion power by generating and controlling burning plasma.

Related News

India is a key contributor to ITER, alongside six other members. Around 200 Indian scientists and engineers, along with major industry players like L&T, Inox India, TCS, TCE, and HCL Technologies, are actively involved in the project.

Modi Highlights Fusion Energy’s Potential

PM Modi shared a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating:
“Went to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) in Cadarache with President Emmanuel Macron. Complimented the team working on this project, which represents a commendable step toward sustainable and limitless clean energy for the future.”

India-France Nuclear Cooperation Strengthens

Both leaders emphasized nuclear energy’s vital role in enhancing energy security and supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy. They acknowledged the strong India-France civil nuclear ties, particularly in the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant Project.

They also welcomed:

  • The first meeting of the Special Task Force on Civil Nuclear Energy.
  • The signing of a letter of intent on Small Modular Reactors (SMR) and Advanced Modular Reactors (AMR).
  • An Implementing Agreement between India’s GCNEP, DAE and France’s INSTN, CEA for training nuclear professionals.

With growing collaboration, India and France continue to pave the way for sustainable nuclear energy solutions.