22 minutes of plasma: Why did Indian PM Modi visit ITER in France?

When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), he was not just paying a diplomatic visit.

ITER, located in the south of France, hosts the fusion reactor and stands as a symbol of global unity in scientific progress.

It is currently the most advanced of its type in the world, involving 35 nations.

The presence of the two leaders at ITER symbolised a global commitment to fusion energy.

It’s a small step in a potentially giant leap for mankind as it replicates the power of the Sun here on Earth.

It's humanity’s boldest attempt yet to build an infinite source of clean energy.

On February 12, a record was hit towards this goal.

Why is it significant?

On that day, the WEST machine at the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (or French: Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, CEA) was able to maintain a plasma for a record 1,337 seconds.

That's more than 22 minutes. In so doing, it smashed the previous record for plasma duration achieved with a "tokamak" (device used to confine and control plasma in nuclear fusion research).

Here's why: It demonstrates how scientific knowledge of plasmas and technological control of them over longer periods is becoming more "mature".

Moreover, it offers hope that fusion plasmas can be stabilised for greater amounts of time in machines such as ITER.

The WEST, a medium-size Tokamak, forms part of the EUROfusion consortium. 

Fusion is the ultimate frontier of energy, a force so powerful that it fuels the very stars.

The goal: To harness this immense power by controlling the chaos of plasma, a naturally unstable state of matter.

Unlike nuclear fission, fusion demands fewer resources, produces no long-lived radioactive waste, and promises virtually limitless energy.

Nuclear fusion produces zero carbon emissions, uses fuel (hydrogen isotopes) that is virtually unlimited, but without the long-lived nuclear waste.

ITER is currently built in the southern town of Cadarache, Europe’s largest technological research and development centre, about 70 km northwest of Marseille.

India is a major ITER contributor, providing components like superconducting magnets and cooling systems. 

Their visit on February 12 reaffirmed their nations’ roles in pushing fusion science forward.

Both leaders recognise that fusion energy could transform global energy security, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and mitigating climate change.

ITER is not just about energy — it’s about leading the next technological revolution. 

Hosting and contributing to ITER places France and India at the cutting edge of the most ambitious scientific project of the 21st century.

As the world faces energy challenges, ITER represents hope — an alternative to fossil fuels, nuclear fission, and the intermittent nature of renewables.

ITER is a testbed for future power plants. While ITER itself will not generate electricity, it will pave the way for the first commercial fusion reactors.

This won’t happen anytime soon. At the earliest, an ITER-type fusion reactor won’t happen until 2050, according to industry estimates.

Still, it represents a rare international collaboration at an unprecedented level.

The challenges are immense, but the stakes are even higher. 

If ITER achieves sustained fusion, it will mark the beginning of a new era — one where humanity finally masters the energy of the stars.