India develops critical equipment for International Mega Science project FAIR

India has dispatched the first of three beam‑catcher units to the FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research) site in Germany. The beam catcher, designed by CSIR‑CMERI, Durgapur and manufactured in India, is a critical component of the super‑fragment separator that absorbs high‑energy heavy‑ion beams. India’s contribution to FAIR, funded equally by the Department of Science & Technology and the Department of Atomic Energy, also includes ultra‑high vacuum chambers, power converters, IT and diagnostic cables, and cryogenic components, all supplied by Indian firms. The project exemplifies the ‘Make in India’ initiative and builds capacity for future mega‑science facilities such as ITER, CERN and LIGO.