Syllabus
GS Paper III – Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.
Context
Three PARAM Rudra supercomputers, valued at Rs 130 crore, were recently inaugurated.
National Supercomputing Mission
Introduction
The recent inauguration of three PARAM Rudra supercomputers, valued at Rs 130 crore, marks a significant milestone under India’s National Supercomputing Mission (NSM). These high-performance computing systems, deployed in Pune, Delhi, and Kolkata, are designed to enhance scientific research capabilities across various fields, including physics, earth sciences, and cosmology. Developed indigenously, these supercomputers symbolize India’s strides towards self-reliance in advanced computing technology, fostering innovation and supporting the nation’s scientific community.
Supercomputers
- Supercomputer: A massive computing system engineered to tackle intricate scientific and industrial problems, often requiring extensive time and computational power.
- Floating-Point Operations per Second (FLOPs): A metric for gauging high-performance computing capabilities, such as processing power and efficiency. Floating-point operations involve mathematical calculations with real numbers that include fractional parts.
- Petaflop: Equivalent to a thousand TFLOPs or (10^{15}) FLOPs.
- Physical Size: These systems occupy a large room, consisting of multiple rows of racks that house computer nodes with numerous cores.
- High Performance Computing (HPC) System: Comprises multiple supercomputers working together.
- New HPC Systems: ‘Arka’ and ‘Arunika’ have been installed at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) in Pune and the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) in Noida.
- HPC Applications: These will be developed and utilized in various fields:
- Computational Biology
- Climate Modelling and Weather Prediction
- Engineering: Including Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Computational Structural Mechanics (CSM), and Computational Electromagnetics (CEM)
- Disaster Simulations and Management
- Computational Chemistry and Material Science
- Astrophysics: For discoveries beyond Earth
- Big Data Analytics
- Giant Metre Radio Telescope (GMRT): Located in Pune, it will use the supercomputer to investigate Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) and other astronomical phenomena.
Advantages of Supercomputers
- Enhanced Computational Power: They can perform complex calculations at incredibly high speeds, making them ideal for tasks that require substantial computational resources.
- Efficiency in Data Processing: Supercomputers can handle and process vast amounts of data quickly, which is crucial for big data analytics and simulations.
- Advanced Research Capabilities: They enable breakthroughs in various scientific fields, such as climate modeling, astrophysics, and computational biology, by providing the necessary computational power to run sophisticated models and simulations.
- Improved Accuracy: The high precision of supercomputers ensures more accurate results in simulations and calculations, which is essential for fields like engineering and disaster management.
- Time Savings: Tasks that would take years on regular computers can be completed in days or even hours on supercomputers, significantly speeding up research and development processes.
- Support for Innovation: By providing the computational power needed for cutting-edge research, supercomputers drive innovation and technological advancements.
- Resource Optimization: They allow for the efficient use of resources by running multiple complex simulations simultaneously, optimizing the overall computational workload.
Supercomputers of India
| Supercomputer | Institute | Capacity | Memory |
| PARAM Shivay | IIT BHU | 837 teraflops | 54.5 TB |
| PARAM Shakti | IIT Kharagpur | 1.66 petaFLOPS | 103.125 TB |
| PARAM Brahma | Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune | 1.75 petaFLOPS | 56.8 TB |
| PARAM Yukti | Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore | 1.8 petaFLOPS | 52.416 TB |
| PARAM Sanganak | IIT Kanpur | 1.67 petaFLOPS | 104.832 TB |
| PARAM Pravega | Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore | 3.3 petaFLOPS | 245.945 TB |
| PARAM Seva | IIT Hyderabad | 838 teraFLOPS | 52.416 TB |
| PARAM Smriti | National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute, Mohali | 838 teraFLOPS | – |
| PARAM Utkarsh | CDAC, Bangalore | 838 teraFLOPS | 52.416 TB |
| PARAM Ganga | IIT Roorkee | 1.66 petaFLOPS | 104.832 TB |
| PARAM Ananta | IIT Gandhinagar | 838 teraFLOPS | 52.416 TB |
| PARAM Porul | NIT, Trichy | 838 teraFLOPS | – |
| PARAM Himalaya | IIT Mandi | 838 teraFLOPS | 52.416 TB |
| PARAM Kamrupa | IIT Guwahati | 838 teraFLOPS | 52.416 TB |
| PARAM Siddhi | AI CDAC, Pune | 5.2 petaFLOPS | 210 petaFLOPS (AI) |
| PARAM Rudra | Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope, Pune | 1 petaFLOPS | – |
| Inter-University Accelerator Centre | Delhi | 838 teraFLOPS | – |
| SN Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences | Kolkata | 838 teraFLOPS | – |
| Mihir | NCMRWF | 2.8 petaFLOPS | – |
National Supercomputing Mission
- Objective: To strengthen the capabilities of Indian academic and research institutions by establishing a network of over 70 high-performance computing (HPC) facilities nationwide.
- To enhance India’s supercomputing infrastructure to meet the growing demands in sectors such as academia, research, MSMEs, and startups.
- This initiative is the first of its kind to elevate the nation’s computing power.
- Inception: Launched in 2015.
- Development: A joint effort between the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
- Execution: Implemented by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru.
- Network: These supercomputers will be interconnected on the National Supercomputing Grid via the National Knowledge Network (NKN).
- The NKN is another government initiative that links academic institutions and research labs through a high-speed network.
- Academic and research institutions, along with key user departments and ministries, will utilize these facilities to develop applications of national importance.
- First Indigenous Supercomputer: Under this mission, the first indigenously assembled supercomputer, named PARAM Shivay, was installed at IIT (BHU) in 2019.
- Human Resource Training: To train individuals in high-performance computational skills, dedicated learning centers with PARAM Vidya were established.
- R&D Systems: The following systems are currently operational: SANGAM Testbed, PARAM Shrestha, PARAM Embryo, PARAM Neel, PARAM Spoorthi, PARAM Sampooran.
Significance of National Supercomputing Mission
- Indigenization: The NSM has facilitated the development of supercomputing technology within India.
- Enhanced Computational Capacity: The mission has significantly boosted India’s overall computational power.
- Since its inception, over 20 supercomputing systems have been deployed across the country.
- Self-Reliance: Achieving global competitiveness and ensuring self-sufficiency in the strategic domain of supercomputing technology.
- Human Resource Development: The mission focuses on cultivating a highly skilled and professional workforce to tackle the challenges associated with developing these applications.
- Improved Weather Forecasting: HPC systems designed for meteorological and climate research will improve the accuracy and lead time of forecasts for tropical cyclones, heatwaves, droughts, and other critical weather events.
- Research Advancement: The mission will propel research forward in various fields, including physics, cosmology, and earth sciences.
Challenges
- Underutilized Funds: The allocated funds for the National Supercomputing Mission have not been fully utilized, leaving significant resources untapped.
- Procurement Delays: The procurement process for supercomputers and their associated infrastructure is lengthy and causes delays.
- Skill Gaps: There is a shortage of experts and trained personnel in areas such as HPC programming, system administration, and data science.
- Limited Private Sector Involvement: Due to the high costs and long-term nature of these projects, the Indian private sector is hesitant to invest in this technology.
- Technological Dependence: India’s reliance on foreign suppliers for critical components like processors and memory chips makes it susceptible to supply chain disruptions and potential technology restrictions.
- Power Supply Issues: Ensuring a reliable and continuous power supply for high-performance computing centers is essential.
- Cooling Challenges: The significant heat generated by supercomputers necessitates efficient cooling systems, which can be costly and energy-intensive.
- Cybersecurity Risks: Supercomputing centers are potential targets for cyberattacks, requiring advanced cybersecurity measures to protect them.
Way forward
- Multi-faceted Approach: Tackling these challenges requires a comprehensive strategy.
- Private Sector Investment: Promote private sector investment in research and development through public-private partnerships and other collaborative models.
- Talent Development: Implement talent development programs in collaboration with international organizations to enhance skills and expertise.
- Cybersecurity Focus: Strengthen the emphasis on cybersecurity within the supercomputing domain to protect against potential threats.
- Global Leadership: By addressing these obstacles, India can establish itself as a global leader in supercomputing, leveraging this technology for scientific progress and economic development.
Conclusion
The National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) has positioned India on the global supercomputing map, fostering self-reliance and technological advancement. By addressing challenges such as underutilized funds, procurement delays, and skill shortages, India can further enhance its supercomputing capabilities. Encouraging private sector investment, strengthening cybersecurity, and developing talent through international collaborations are crucial steps. The NSM’s success will not only bolster scientific research and innovation but also drive economic growth, ensuring India emerges as a leader in high-performance computing. This strategic initiative underscores India’s commitment to leveraging technology for national development and global competitiveness.
References: IE
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Practice Question
Discuss the objectives and significance of the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) in India. Highlight the challenges faced in its implementation and suggest measures to overcome them. (250 words)
Guidelines to Answer
- Introduction:
- Briefly introduce the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM), mentioning its launch year and primary aim.
- Objectives:
- Outline the main objectives of the NSM, such as enhancing computational capabilities, fostering self-reliance in supercomputing technology, and supporting research and development.
- Significance:
- Discuss the importance of the NSM in advancing scientific research, improving weather forecasting, and driving innovation.
- Highlight its role in developing a skilled workforce and promoting self-reliance in critical technologies.
- Challenges:
- Identify key challenges such as underutilized funds, procurement delays, skill shortages, limited private sector participation, technological dependency, power supply issues, cooling challenges, and cybersecurity risks.
- Measures to Overcome Challenges:
- Suggest measures like encouraging private sector investment through public-private partnerships, conducting talent development programs in collaboration with international organizations, and strengthening cybersecurity.
- Emphasize the need for efficient fund utilization, streamlined procurement processes, and enhanced training programs.
- Conclusion:
- Summarize the potential impact of successfully implementing the NSM on India’s scientific and economic landscape.
- Reinforce the importance of addressing the challenges to position India as a global leader in supercomputing.