Dear ISRM Members, Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Greetings from Indian National Group of ISRM!

On behalf of ISRM, I am pleased and honored to invite you to the ARMS13, the 13th Asian Rock Mechanics Symposium, which is the 2024 ISRM International Symposium. Since its inaugural event in 1997, ARMS has been held in eight Asian countries over the past 27 years, including Korea, China, Japan, Singapore, India, Iran, Indonesia, and Vietnam. The ISRM is deeply grateful to India NG and the Organizing Committee for hosting ARMS13 in India, following the ARMS6, which was held in New Delhi in 2010.
The ARMS13 organizing committee has been diligently preparing for the event, which has received a total of 338 abstracts from 28 countries so far. The event program includes 6 short courses and 5 workshops. Keynote lectures will be delivered by Dr. Nick Barton, Prof. Ömer Aydan, and Prof. Krishna Panthi, who are esteemed leaders in our society. Additionally, the 2024 ISRM Franklin Lecture will be delivered by Dr. Vikram Vishal from India, and the ISRM Rocha Medal Lecture will be presented by Dr. Kazuki Sawayama. The 9th Early Career Forum, organized by the ISRM Education Fund Committee, will also take place, featuring presentations by young engineers invited from various countries in Asia.
The theme of this symposium, "Advances in Rock Mechanics - Infrastructure Development," holds significant importance for India's infrastructure. India has the world's second-largest road network, spanning over 6 million km. Its railway system extends approximately 126,000 km, with many super-long tunnels. There are about 200 hydroelectric power plants, with a total generation capacity of 47 GW. Coal production is the second largest in the world, at 760 billion tons annually. Oil storage stands at 38 million barrels, covering 9.5 to 22 days of the country's consumption. The application of rock mechanics in India's ongoing infrastructure projects is essential and sure to expand significantly. I am certain that this symposium will facilitate a rich exchange of knowledge and experiences related to the theme and various subtopics.
The ISRM sincerely invite you to visit India not only to participate in ARMS13 but also to experience the country’s vibrant cultural assets. I extend my deep gratitude to Prof. Mahendra Singh, the Chairman of the Organizing Committee, and to the members of the Committee for making the Symposium most successful.
I look forward to meeting you in New Delhi in September.

Prof. Seokwon Jeon
President
International Society for Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering