Sir

Contrary to the suggestion in your News story “Partners fail to find common ground for fusion project” (Nature 428, 355; 200410.1038/428355a), the United Kingdom cannot invite India to be its partner on ITER, the international fusion project.

As chief scientific adviser to the British government, I firmly believe that fusion power offers great prospects for humanity and have therefore been urging more countries to join the ITER effort. I am delighted that China, the United States and Korea have joined the European Union (EU), Japan and Russia as full partners.

If India wishes to join as a junior partner to ITER, this question should be formally raised with the EU and our international partners. At the moment, the minimum requirement for partnership is a commitment to provide, either in kind or in cash, a 10% contribution to the construction of ITER.