Govt launches 3 Param Rudra Supercomputers; key things to know

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced the launch of three Param Rudra Supercomputing Systems, valued at approximately ₹130 crore, alongside a High-Performance Computing (HPC) system dedicated to weather and climate research, representing an investment of ₹850 crore. Param Rudra, developed under India’s National Supercomputing Mission (NSM), is a high-performance computing (HPC) system designed for complex calculations and simulations at high speeds. These efforts aim to boost India’s supercomputing infrastructure in response to growing demands from academic institutions, MSMEs, researchers, and startups. The mission's first indigenously assembled supercomputer, PARAM Shivay, was installed at IIT (BHU) in 2019.

Key things about supercomputing systems

- HPC Supercomputing Systems are cutting-edge computing environments engineered to tackle complex and data-intensive tasks that demand substantial computational power. These HPC systems capitalise on the capabilities of multiple processors working in parallel to solve large-scale problems.

- The HPC systems are employed in various fields, including climate modelling, molecular biology and genomics, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, engineering and materials science simulations, as well as applications in defence and aerospace. The supercomputers are being dedicated to the nation to foster self-reliance in supercomputing technology.

- These supercomputers, developed indigenously by Indian scientists, are installed in Delhi, Pune, and Kolkata with the goal of enhancing India’s scientific research capabilities, as confirmed by the PM Modi. Pune’s Giant Metre Radio Telescope (GMRT) will use the supercomputers to study Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) and other astronomical events. Delhi’s Inter-University Accelerator Centre (IUAC) will enhance research in material science and atomic physics. Kolkata’s S N Bose Centre will focus on research in physics, cosmology, and earth sciences using this supercomputing technology.

- Additionally, two new HPC systems, ‘Arka’ and ‘Arunika,’ have also been introduced to advance weather research and equip young scientists with enhanced technology. These high-resolution models will greatly improve the accuracy and lead time of predictions for tropical cyclones, heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, hailstorms, heat waves, droughts, and other significant weather phenomena.

- The HPC system, located at two key sites—the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) in Pune and the National Center for Medium Range Weather Forecast (NCMRWF) in Noida—possesses extraordinary computing power.

- The PM stated that the semiconductors will play a critical role in modern development and pointed out about the ‘India Semiconductor Mission'.