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India’s First LIGO Observatory in Maharashtra
Why in News?
Larsen & Toubro has won a contract from the Department of Atomic Energy to build India’s Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) facility in the Aundha area of Hingoli district in Maharashtra.
Key Points:
- Project Award: The contract has been awarded for the construction of the LIGO India facility, which will be built in Maharashtra.
- The project will be executed within a stipulated timeframe and involves highly specialised civil and engineering works.
- What is LIGO?: LIGO stands for Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory.
- It is a large-scale physics experiment designed to detect gravitational waves—ripples in space-time caused by massive cosmic events such as black hole mergers and neutron star collisions.
- Objective: The observatory will use advanced laser interferometry to measure extremely small distortions in space-time, enhancing India’s participation in frontier astrophysics and multi-messenger astronomy research.
- The facility will include ultra-high vacuum beam tubes extending several kilometres, along with precision infrastructure such as vibration-isolated platforms, control systems, and advanced monitoring equipment.
- Global Collaboration: LIGO India will function as part of the global LIGO network, complementing existing detectors in the United States and other countries.
- The project is being implemented under the aegis of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).
- Strategic Importance: Establishing LIGO India strengthens India’s position in advanced scientific research, promotes high-precision engineering capabilities, and fosters international cooperation in space science and fundamental physics.
- Vision: The LIGO India initiative reflects India’s broader vision of becoming a global leader in cutting-edge scientific research and innovation-driven technological development.
| Read More: LIGO Observatory, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Black hole mergers |
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7th Asia Economic Dialogue to be held in Pune
Why in News?
The 7th edition of the Asia Economic Dialogue (AED) 2026 is scheduled to be held in Pune from 26 to 28 February 2026.
Key Points:
- Organiser: It is an important international geoeconomics conference jointly organised by India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Pune International Centre (PIC).
- Theme: The theme of AED 2026 is “Geoeconomics Beyond Globalisation: Tariffs, Technologies and Strategic Alignments.”
- Focus Areas: As a premier Track 1.5 dialogue, discussions center on AI, technology, defense manufacturing, and maritime geoeconomics.
- New Initiatives: For the first time, the agenda includes a session linking public health with economic development.
- Cultural Integration: The conference coincides with the 'Palash 2026' cultural programme.
- Objectives: Facilitate deep discussions on geoeconomic trends, trade policies, technology diffusion and tariff dynamics among Asian and other global economies.
- Promote Strategic Cooperation: Encourage strategic economic alignments that can bolster trade resilience, supply chain diversification and regional integration.
- Knowledge Exchange: Provide platforms for thought leadership on issues such as digital economy, artificial intelligence, trade tensions and investment cooperation.
