India has deployed 34 supercomputers with a combined compute capacity of 35 Petaflops under the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM). These supercomputers are installed at IISc, IITs, C-DAC, and other research institutions across Tier-II and Tier-III cities of India.
The supercomputing systems under NSM have achieved overall utilization of over 85%, with many exceeding 95% utilization, showing high efficiency. NSM supercomputers support academic institutions, R&D labs, and research organisations with high-performance computing (HPC) resources.
About National Supercomputing Mission (NSM)
Launched: 2015
Aim:
- Empower India with high-performance computing (HPC) capabilities.
- Enhance R&D, scientific advancements across academia, industry, and government.
Steered by:
- Department of Science and Technology (DST)
- Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)
Implemented by:
- Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune
- Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru
Provides access to supercomputers via National Knowledge Network (NKN), a high-speed network connecting academic & R&D institutions.
Includes development of HPC-skilled human resources through five training centres at: Goa, Pune, Chennai, Kharagpur and Chennai.
Key Achievements under NSM
PARAM Shivay:
- First indigenously-built supercomputer under NSM.
- Installed at IIT-BHU, Varanasi in 2019.
PARAM Rudra Supercomputers (2024):
- Deployed at Pune, Delhi, Kolkata.
- Facilitate research in physics, earth sciences, cosmology.
- Built using indigenously designed “Rudra” HPC servers and indigenous system software.
- “Rudra” server: India’s first indigenously designed HPC server matching global standards.
Trinetra Network:
Developed by C-DAC to enhance high-speed communication between computing nodes.
Implemented in 3 phases:
- Trinetra-POC – proof-of-concept
- Trinetra-A – 100 Gbps network deployed in 1PF PARAM Rudra at C-DAC Pune.
- Trinetra-B – 200 Gbps network to be deployed in upcoming 20PF PARAM Rudra at C-DAC Bangalore.
Project AIRAWAT:
Aims to provide common AI computing platform for AI research and innovation.
Infrastructure for use by Tech Innovation Hubs, labs, startups, institutions via NKN
Proof of Concept:
- 200 Petaflops mixed-precision AI machine.
- Scalable to peak compute of 790 AI Petaflops.
Achievement:
- Ranked 75th globally in Top 500 Global Supercomputing List (ISC 2023, Germany).
- Puts India among the top AI supercomputing nations.
PARAM Pravega:
- Installed at IISc Bengaluru (2022)
- Compute capacity: 3.3 Petaflops
- Significance: Largest supercomputer in any Indian academic institution.
Strengthening NSM through India Semiconductor Mission (ISM)
Objective: Develop indigenous processors, memory, accelerators critical for supercomputers.
Reduces import dependency: enables faster, energy-efficient, cost-effective supercomputers.
Impact:
- Boosts customized supercomputing solutions for India’s needs.
- Moves India towards self-reliance & global leadership in supercomputing.
Significance of NSM
- Expanding supercomputing access beyond metro cities → boosts R&D capacity in Tier-II & III cities.
- Supports scientific research, climate modeling, healthcare, AI, defense applications.
- Enables Make-in-India & Atmanirbhar Bharat in high-end technology sectors.