High-Performance Computing (HPC)

India is aiming for complete indigenisation of its high-performance computing (HPC) systems by 2030. Indigenous content in supercomputing systems has already reached around 50% and is expected to exceed 70% by the end of the decade. Under the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM), India plans to deploy 90 petaflops (PF) of computing capacity by March 2026, significantly strengthening national technological capability and strategic autonomy.The National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) seeks to build indigenous HPC infrastructure, reduce dependence on foreign technologies, and support cutting-edge research. Key milestones include the Rudra server, Trinetra high-speed network, and the AIRAWAT AI supercomputer. The upcoming NSM 2.0 focuses on indigenous CPUs, GPUs, and exascale computing in collaboration with the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM).

What is the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM)?

About NSM

The National Supercomputing Mission was launched in 2015 as a flagship initiative of the Government of India to enhance the country’s supercomputing capabilities.

• It is jointly steered by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

• The mission is implemented by C-DAC, Pune, and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru.

Objectives of NSM

• Self-Reliance: To achieve indigenous design, development, and manufacturing of supercomputers.

• Research and Accessibility: To promote HPC-based research and make supercomputing accessible across academic and R&D institutions.

• National Relevance: To develop applications of strategic and societal importance through coordinated efforts of government, academia, and research institutions.

Three-Phase Implementation Strategy of NSM

Phase I: Infrastructure Creation

• Focused on establishing basic supercomputing infrastructure.

• Installed six supercomputers across institutions with significant domestic assembly.

• Aimed at building a domestic ecosystem for component integration.

Phase II: Indigenous Manufacturing

• Shifted focus towards indigenous manufacturing and development of a local software stack.

• Achieved around 40% value addition from Indian sources.

Phase III: Complete Indigenisation

• Focuses on end-to-end indigenisation, including design, development, and manufacturing of key HPC components within India.

Indigenous Technology Development under NSM

Trinetra High-Speed Network

• Trinetra is an indigenously developed high-speed communication network by C-DAC.

• Enhances data transfer and communication between computing nodes.

Key Versions:

• Trinetra-POC: Proof-of-concept system to validate core technologies.

• Trinetra-A: Supports 100 Gbps, deployed in 1 PF PARAM Rudra at C-DAC Pune.

• Trinetra-B: Upgraded 200 Gbps version, planned for deployment in the 20 PF PARAM Rudra at C-DAC Bengaluru.

Petaflop (PF) refers to the capability to perform 10¹⁵ floating-point operations per second.

Rudra Server

• Rudra is India’s first indigenously designed and manufactured HPC server.

• It is supported by an indigenous system software stack, comparable to global HPC-class servers.

• Marks a major milestone in India’s supercomputing self-reliance.

Major Supercomputing Installations in India

• PARAM Rudra (2024): Three supercomputers deployed in Pune, Delhi, and Kolkata, supporting advanced research in physics, earth sciences, and cosmology.

• PARAM Pravega (2022): Installed at IISc Bengaluru with 3.3 PF capacity; the largest academic supercomputer in India.

• PARAM Shivay (2019): NSM’s first indigenously built supercomputer installed at IIT (BHU), Varanasi.

Key Achievements of the National Supercomputing Mission

Infrastructure Expansion

• 34 supercomputers deployed with a combined capacity of 35 PF.

• Systems are spread across IISc, IITs, C-DAC, and institutions in Tier-II and Tier-III cities, improving regional access.

High Utilization Efficiency

• Overall system utilization exceeds 85%, with several systems achieving over 95% utilization, indicating effective use of computing resources.

Human Resource Development

• Five training centres established in Pune, Kharagpur, Chennai, Palakkad, and Goa.

• Over 22,000 professionals trained in HPC and AI, strengthening India’s skilled workforce.

AIRAWAT: India’s AI Supercomputing Platform

About AIRAWAT

• AIRAWAT is a government-initiated AI computing platform providing a shared resource for AI research and innovation.

• It supports research labs, start-ups, industry, and academic institutions connected via the National Knowledge Network (NKN).

Technical Features and Global Recognition

• Developed as a 200 PF mixed-precision AI system, scalable to 790 AI PF.

• Ranked 75th in the Top 500 Global Supercomputing List at ISC 2023 (Germany).

• Positions India among the leading AI supercomputing nations globally.

Key Applications of HPC Systems in India

Weather Forecasting and Climate Modeling

• Enables high-resolution monsoon and cyclone predictions.

• Systems like Pratyush and Mihir deliver resolutions up to 1 km, supporting disaster preparedness.

Drug Discovery and Bioinformatics

• Accelerates genome sequencing, protein folding, and drug screening.

• Played a crucial role in COVID-19 modeling and research.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

• Platforms like PARAM Siddhi-AI process large datasets for precision medicine, predictive analytics, and AI research.

Material Science and Nanotechnology

• Supports development of advanced materials, semiconductors, and nanomaterials, contributing to Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Defense and National Security

• Enables strategic simulations, cybersecurity research, and high-energy physics applications.

Other Emerging Applications

• Renewable energy modeling

• Oil and gas exploration

• Large-scale industrial and scientific simulations

Conclusion

India’s National Supercomputing Mission represents a strategic effort to achieve technological self-reliance in high-performance computing. By advancing indigenous hardware, software, and human capital, the mission is empowering research across critical sectors and strengthening national security. With a clear roadmap towards complete indigenisation by 2030, India is positioning itself as a global leader in supercomputing and artificial intelligence.