India, July 20 -- India's ambitious LIGO-India project, expected to place the country at the forefront of gravitational-wave astronomy, could be completed before its official 2030 deadline if construction progresses as planned, according to Prof. Rana Adhikari, one of the leading scientists behind the international LIGO collaboration.

Speaking to Hindustan Times on Friday, during a visit to the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) in Pune, Adhikari said the project has entered the construction phase, with groundwork underway at the Hingoli site in Maharashtra after years of planning, land acquisition and technical clearances. "The land has been acquired, roads are being developed, and the construction contractor...