Ratan Kumar Sinha, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission of India and secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy,has said that India is applying for the associate membership of the CERN, which is the European Organisation for Nuclear Research.

The premier research institute operates the largest particle physics laboratory in the world.Sinha said that the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved the decision to apply for the membership about two months earlier. The decision for applying for the membership for CERN was pending since the UPA mainly due to budgetary concerns. Some officials indicated that the process to seek membership gained speed after neighbouring Pakistan received the status of associate membership in the previous year.

Officials said that the issue was the financial contribution required from countries for the project. The contribution is determined by the GDP of the country as well as other parameters. Estimates showed that India will have to payaround Rs 40-60 crore every year.

Sinha said, "CERN's associate membership has been approved by the Cabinet. The process has been initiated. CERN also has to look into all aspects. We will be admitted soon."

India has been working with the agency since 1970s with scientists mainly from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) and other institutions participating in experiments at CERN.