National Technology Day: PM Modi Lays Foundation Stone Of LIGO-India Project. What Is It, Why It's Important

Prime Minister Modi said, "The LIGO-India will include us in one of the few countries to have such observatories in the world. It will give our students and scientists new and advanced opportunities"

LIGO is a physics experiment that detects cosmic ripples called gravitational waves.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday laid the foundation stone of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory – India (LIGO-India), placing the nation among a handful of countries that have a Gravitational-Wave observatory. The Prime Minister also announced multiple projects related to scientific and technological advancement in the country, worth more than Rs 5,800 crore on the occasion of 25th National Technology Day. 

PM Modi, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh, inaugurated the programme marking National Technology Day 2023 at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi.

The projects for which the foundation stone was laid include Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory-India (LIGO-India), Hingoli; Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Jatni, Odisha; and Platinum Jubilee Block of Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai.

During his address, the Prime Minister said, "The LIGO-India will include us in one of the few countries to have such observatories in the world. It will give our students and scientists new and advanced opportunities."

LIGO-India: What Is It?

LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) is a physics experiment that detects cosmic ripples called gravitational waves, which carry information about their origins and provide clues to the nature of gravity. It derives its foundation from the theories of Albert Einstein. According to Einstein's theory, when two massive objects collide, they create a ripple or a disturbance in the fabric of space and time. This disturbance propagates in all directions from the source, like waves of undulating space-time. These waves are known as gravitational waves.

Gravitational waves travel at the speed of light, and they carry information about their origins, which could help us learn more about the nature of gravity. Physicists believe that the most potent gravitational waves are generated by cataclysmic events, such as the collision of black holes, exploding stars, or colliding neutron stars. By detecting and studying these waves, scientists can gain insight into some of the most fundamental questions about the universe.

In February 2016, the government granted in-principle approval for the construction of LIGO-India, an advanced gravitational-wave observatory that will form part of a global network.

Last month, the Union Cabinet gave the green light for the project to proceed, with an estimated cost of Rs 2,600 crore and a completion date of 2030. LIGO-India is a collaborative venture between Indian research institutions, the LIGO Laboratory in the US, and international partners.

The observatory will feature a 4 km interferometer arm length and will be highly sensitive to gravitational waves generated by the merging of massive astrophysical objects like black holes and neutron stars. The Department of Atomic Energy and the Department of Science and Technology will oversee the construction of LIGO-India in partnership with the National Science Foundation of the US, as well as national and international research and academic institutions.

The US will provide key components for the facility valued at $80 million, equivalent to Rs 560 crore.

Why Is LIGO-India Important?

The LIGO-India Observatory will significantly improve the capability of the global scientific community in the field of gravitational-wave astronomy and astrophysics. It will also advance Indian science and technology in a wide range of cutting-edge fields, including lasers, optics, vacuum, quantum metrology, and control systems. Mega-science ventures like LIGO-India provide ideal learning platforms to create seamless ecosystems that connect academia, laboratories, and industry on a national and global scale.

Other projects announced on National Technology Day include Fission Molybdenum-99 Production Facility, Mumbai; Rare Earth Permanent Magnet Plant, Visakhapatnam; National Hadron Beam Therapy Facility, Navi Mumbai; Radiological Research Unit, Navi Mumbai; Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Visakhapatnam; and Women & Children Cancer Hospital Building, Navi Mumbai.