According to wire reports, Department of Science and Technology confirmed that India will become an associate member in the European Organization for Nucleear Research, popularly known as CERN.
“India’s application for associate membership has been approved by the CERN Council in September and after formalities and signing of papers, it will become an associate member of CERN,” a top DST official was quoted by IANS.
According to the department procedures would be completed in the next few months.
Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan had recently tweeted about the development.
“India to become Associate Member of @CERN Great Opportunities for Indian Industry to bid for contracts in advanced technologies @IndiaDST,” he had tweeted.
CERN houses the biggest lab research facility on the planet – the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) – the most powerful particle accelerator.
LHC had discovered the Higgs Boson (popularly known as the God particle). The facility lies in a tunnel beneath the Franco-Swiss border near Geneva.
India currently holds “observer” status that allows non-member states to attend council meetings and to receive council documents without taking part in the decision-making procedures of the organisation.
As an Associate Member, India would be entitled to attend open and restricted sessions of the organisation.
