An overview of key enabling technologies for DAE’s nuclear programme

Homi Jehangir Bhabha envisioned that the success of India’s nuclear energy programme would depend upon how soon the country becomes self-reliant in the manufa­cturing of required essential technologies, e.g. ultra-high vacuum systems, cryogenics and associated technologies, precision electronics, control and instrumentation, robo­tics, particle accelerators, plasma, lasers, etc. He initia­ted R&D programmes at TIFR, Mumbai, on few of these technologies immediately after taking over as Director in 1945, and expanded them once DAE was formed in 1954. In this article, we present a brief overview of R&D carried out by DAE during the past seven decades in the areas of key enabling technologies needed for the advancement of our nuclear programme. The tremendous efforts of DAE resulted in achieving self-reliance in the nuclear power programme as well as in the development of necessary technologies for investigation of fundamental science and for facilitation of societal and industrial growth in the country. DAE led the nation to not only become a partner in several international science megaprojects, e.g. LHC, FAIR, Fermilab, ITER, etc. but also took a leadership position in national megaprojects, i.e. MACE, LIGO-India and ADS.