That's a sick comment, just like the top one in this thread. You would probably call investing anything in studying Einstein's General theory of Relativity as a waste of money for Indians as well right? That serves to make accurate GPSs, which is an industry in itself, generating employment. Should India wait until feeding the last hungry before making ANY technological progress? Which part of world you are living in?

Engineers often focus on problems they can see. If they were at CERN they would not see India's problems, they would be a world away. Cool things like this are doubly useful in places where there is great need, as they attract bright people like lightbulbs attract moths.