With the recent launches of the PARAM Rudra supercomputer and HPC systems like Arka and Arunika, India is well and truly self-reliant today in supercomputing. Bhaswati Guha Majumder of CXO News and APAC News Network traces the recent achievements and how the industry is joining the HPC bandwagon.
India’s technological landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, fueled by the rapid advancements in supercomputing. The recent launch of the PARAM Rudra supercomputer is a testament to the nation’s technological prowess. The ongoing developments under the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) signify a critical step in the country’s broader efforts to strengthen its digital infrastructure and drive innovation across diverse sectors.
The recent unveiling of India’s latest indigenous supercomputer is more than just a technological achievement; it marks the government’s determination to develop critical digital infrastructure that can support and accelerate scientific research, defence capabilities, and industrial advancements. As the world becomes increasingly data-driven, HPC systems are essential in processing vast amounts of information for complex simulations, AI development, and national security applications.
The latest supercomputers, built at a cost of Rs 130 crore under the NSM, represent a major step in India’s goal of becoming a global leader in high-end computing. The systems have been strategically deployed at prominent research institutions to foster breakthroughs across a variety of scientific disciplines.
At the Giant Metre Radio Telescope (GMRT) in Pune, the PARAM Rudra will be used to study fast radio bursts (FRBs) and other astronomical phenomena. The supercomputer installed at the Inter-University Accelerator Centre (IUAC) in Delhi will assist in atomic physics and material science research, while the S.N. Bose Centre in Kolkata will advance studies in physics and cosmology.
In addition to the PARAM Rudra systems, PM Modi inaugurated high-performance computing systems designed specifically for weather and climate research. Named ‘Arka’ and ‘Arunika’—evoking connections to the sun—the HPC systems represent an Rs 850 crore investment. These facilities, installed at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) in Pune and the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) in Noida, promise to revolutionize India’s meteorological capacity. With 11.77 petaflops and 8.24 petaflops of computing power, the HPC systems will refine weather prediction models to an unprecedented level of accuracy, benefiting sectors from agriculture to disaster management.
The mission, initiated in 2015, has already led to the deployment of several such machines in premier institutions. The systems are enabling advanced research in fields such as climate change, computational biology, drug discovery, and materials science. Importantly, the mission’s focus on developing these systems using indigenous technology is a key component of India’s push toward technological self-reliance, a recurring theme in the country’s digital policy landscape.
India’s drive for self-reliance in supercomputing is rooted in a broader strategy to reduce dependency on foreign suppliers, especially in critical technology areas. The government has consistently emphasized the importance of indigenously developed hardware and software. This aligns with the broader goals of the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative, which seeks to strengthen India’s position as a global tech hub by fostering innovation and building robust ecosystems within the country.
In the context of supercomputing, this push for self-reliance not only will reduce the need for costly imports but also build local capacity and expertise. India’s focus on designing and manufacturing key components, such as processors, storage solutions, and cooling systems, marks a significant leap forward in the nation’s technological capabilities. This not only has economic implications but also strengthens India’s national security by ensuring that critical infrastructure is under domestic control.
Additionally, it is important to note that public-private-academia-partnership has been the key focus of the government. There have been several examples where institutions to industry stakeholders played significant roles and NSM is one of those examples.
VVDN Technologies, a leading player in the Indian electronics manufacturing space, is deeply involved in supporting the supercomputing mission. Parveen Sangwan, Vice President – Adaptive Compute and Comms Engineering at VVDN Technologies, said: “At VVDN, we are extremely proud to be at the forefront of India’s digital and technological advancements.
The inauguration of the Rudra servers by PM Modi marks a significant milestone in our journey to deliver world-class, cutting-edge solutions. This achievement emphasizes our commitment to ‘Make in India’ and strengthens our resolve to contribute to the nation’s vision of self-reliance in technology and innovation.”
Meanwhile, Ajay Goyal, Co-Founder and CEO of Erekrut said: “The launch of PARAM Rudra, along with HPC Arka and Arunika, marks a pivotal moment in India’s technological landscape, solidifying our position as a global leader in high-performance computing (HPC).
These supercomputers will significantly enhance our capabilities across scientific research, data analytics, and AI, driving innovation in sectors such as healthcare, climate modelling, and advanced manufacturing. With this, India is poised to tackle some of the world’s most complex challenges, accelerating progress in research and fostering a new era of technological growth.”
NSM is focused on achieving self-reliance in supercomputing while fostering a culture that leverages supercomputing for research and development and problem-solving across various scientific and technological domains. Additionally, the mission aims to design solutions for societal applications and enhance the global competitiveness of India’s supercomputing ecosystem. To realize these objectives, the mission envisions establishing a national infrastructure comprising supercomputing systems and facilities of varying sizes and scales, all seamlessly interconnected through the National Knowledge Commission Network. This infrastructure will feature three types of supercomputing systems: Large Supercomputers, Mid-Range Supercomputers, and Entry-Level Supercomputers, each tailored to meet specific research and application needs.
With the launch of the three PARAM Rudra India now has a total 18 completed NSM sites. These are: PARAM Shivay, PARAM Shakti, PARAM Brahma, PARAM Yukti, PARAM Sanganak, PARAM Pravega, PARAM Seva, PARAM Smriti, PARAM Utkarsh, PARAM Ganga, PARAM Ananta, PARAM Porul, PARAM Himalaya, PARAM Kamrupa, PARAM Siddhi-AI, PARAM Rudra – IUAC, PARAM Rudra – SN Bose and PARAM Rudra – GMRT.
