SKA - India
India is a member country of the SKA Observatory (SKAO), and is involved in the design and construction of the SKA telescopes
Know more
India's Participation in the SKA Observatory
The SKA Observatory (SKAO) is a next-generation radio astronomy-driven Big Data facility that will revolutionise our understanding of the Universe and the laws of fundamental physics. Enabled by cutting-edge technology, it promises to have a major impact on society, in science and beyond.
In January 2024, the Government of India approved the country's participation in the construction of the SKA telescopes, paving the way for India to become a full member of the SKAO.
India formally joined the SKAO Council as a member in July 2024, upon signing and ratifying the founding document, the Convention Establishing the SKAO.
SKA-India Consortium
The SKA-related activities in India are overseen by a consortium of educational and research organisations, formally known as the SKA-India Consortium (SKAIC). The list of institutions in the SKAIC can be seen on the Map at left.
The SKA-India Logo is designed by Kanaya Malakar and Kanan Datta of Presidency University, Kolkata. We acknowledge help from Saumya Oberoi to make the high-resolution pictures. According to the designers, "The logo resembles a simple three antenna radio interferometric telescope with feeds on the top, also conveys a message 'let us come together and join hands and chase our dream'. Together we can make it India's most successful scientific endeavour."
SKA-India Science
The science activities related to the SKA-India are overseen by the SKA-India Science Sub-committee. The specific science activities in a given area are coordinated by the Science Working Groups. At present there are eight Science Working Groups in India.
SKA-India Technical Activities
In the pre-construction phase, India coordinated the international Telescope Manager consortium that delivered its final design in 2018 and continued prototyping efforts. For the construction phase, India will develop key digital and radio frequency electronics, an advanced control system, and establish a regional data center for SKA data.
EVENTS
Workshops, Conferences and other Meetings
Meetings funded by the SKA-India Consortium (upcoming and recent past):
ASI workshop on "SKA in India (VIII): enhancing scientific and technological participation in SKA", NIT Rourkela, 15 February 2025 ASI workshop on "Solar and Heliospheric Science with the SKAO and its Precursors", NIT Rourkela, 15 February 2025 Workshop on 21-cm Cosmology, IIT Madras, 9-13 December 2024
In case you would like to have any meeting(s) listed on this page, please send an email with all relevant details to tirth_at_ncra_dot_tifr_dot_res_dot_in
DOCUMENTS & MEDIA
Documents and Media related to SKA-India
- Special Issue on "Indian Participation in the SKA" (January 2023)
- Summary of the SKA India Science Case (October 2020)
- SKA-India HRD Requirements (October 2020)
- Special Issue on "Science with the Square Kilometre Array: An Indian Perspective" (December 2016)
- Summary of the meeting held at IISER, Mohali (19 March 2014)
- Summary of the meeting held at NCRA, Pune (16 February 2015)
Tender Opportunities
Tender section related to SKA-India
Exciting Public Cloud Computing Opportunity with SKAO
The Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) is seeking public cloud computing resources for its construction programme, presenting a unique opportunity for Indian software companies.
About SKAO
The Square Kilometre Array Observatory is a global collaboration building cutting-edge radio telescopes to transform our understanding of the Universe. As a member country, India plays a crucial role in this groundbreaking scientific endeavor.
The Opportunity
SKAO is launching a procurement process for public cloud computing resources. This presents an excellent chance for Indian cloud providers to participate in a world-class scientific project.
Key Use Cases:
- Rapid cluster builds and teardowns for software development and testing
- Access to varied hardware configurations for codesign teams
- Large-scale cluster builds for monthly scalability testing
Why Indian Companies Should Participate
- India is an SKAO Member Country, making companies with cloud infrastructure hosted in India eligible to participate
- Opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge scientific research
- Potential for long-term collaboration through a Framework Contract
Key Dates
- Market Survey Deadline: August 28, 2024
- RFQ Response Deadline: September 27, 2024
How to Participate ?
- Register on the SKAO Supplier Portal
- Express interest in the specific tender
- Await the Request for Quotation (RFQ) pack
- Submit your technical and financial responses
Evaluation Process
Submissions will be evaluated based on both technical factors and price, using a Lowest Cost Technically Compliant Evaluation Methodology.
More Information
For complete details about this opportunity, please download and review the full Market Survey document (PDF).
Contact
For questions or additional information, please contact:
Ryan Leadbetter
SKAO Senior Contract Specialist
Email: ryan.leadbetter@skao.int
SKA-Low
Size: 131,072 log-periodic antennas spread between 512 stations Collecting area: 419,000m2 Maximum distance between antenna stations: 74km Frequency range: 50 MHz - 350 MHz
SKA-Mid
Size: 197 fully steerable dishes, including the existing MeerKAT radio telescope Collecting area: 33,000m2 Maximum distance between dishes: 150km Frequency range: 350 MHz - 15.4 GHz, with a goal of 24 GHz
Interferometry
By linking lots of antennas together using a technique called interferometry, SKA-Mid and SKA-Low can each act as one enormous telescope.