International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor

ITER ("The Way" in Latin) is one of the most ambitious energy projects in the world today. It stands for “International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor”. ITER will work on the “Tokamak” concept where the reaction of hydrogen isotopes Deuterium and Tritium produces energy by the mass-energy conversion principle, thereby proving to be a source of unlimited energy.

In southern France, Cadarache, 35 nations* are collaborating to build the world's largest tokamak, a magnetic fusion device that has been designed to prove the feasibility of fusion as a large-scale and carbon-free source of energy based on the same principle that powers our Sun and stars.

The experimental campaign that will be carried out at ITER is crucial to advancing fusion science and preparing the way for the fusion power plants of tomorrow.

ITER will be the first fusion device to produce net energy. ITER will be the first fusion device to maintain fusion for long periods of time. And ITER will be the first fusion device to test the integrated technologies, materials, and physics regimes necessary for the commercial production of fusion-based electricity.

Thousands of engineers and scientists have contributed to the design of ITER since the idea for an international joint experiment in fusion was first launched in 1985. The ITER Members - China, the European Union, India, Japan, Korea, Russia and the United States - are now engaged in a 35-year collaboration to build and operate the ITER experimental device, and together bring fusion to the point where a demonstration fusion reactor can be designed. European Union being the host party contributes 45% while the rest of the parties contribute 9% each. Most of these contributions are through ‘in-kind’ procurement of ITER components. India formally joined the ITER Project in 2005 and the ITER Agreement between the partners was signed in 2006.

ITER Organization (IO) is the central team responsible for construction at 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, a specially empowered project of the Institute for Plasma Research (IPR), and aided organization under DAE, Govt. of India. ITER-India is responsible for the delivery of the following ITER packages: 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 and some Diagnostics.