In News:

Recently, the Prime Minister of India launched three Param Rudra Supercomputing Systems and a High-Performance Computing (HPC) system for weather and climate research via a virtual event.

PARAM Rudra Supercomputers

• Development: Indigenously developed under the National Supercomputing Mission.
• Deployment Locations:
  • Delhi: Inter University Accelerator Centre (IUAC) focuses on material science and atomic physics.
  • Pune: Giant Metre Radio Telescope (GMRT) will explore Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) and other astronomical phenomena.
  • Kolkata: S N Bose Centre drives advanced research in physics, cosmology, and earth sciences.

High-Performance Computing (HPC) System

• Purpose: Tailored for weather and climate research.
• Location:
  • Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune.
  • National Center for Medium Range Weather Forecast (NCMRWF), Noida.
• System Names: 'Arka' and 'Arunika', reflecting their solar connection.

Significance of the HPC System

• Enhanced Predictive Capabilities:
  • High-resolution models improve accuracy and lead time for: Tropical cyclones, Heavy precipitation, Thunderstorms, Hailstorms, Heat waves, Droughts and Other critical weather phenomena

National Supercomputing Mission (NSM)

• Launch and Goals
  • Launched in 2015 to position India among world-class computing power nations.
  • Aims to connect national academic and R&D institutions with a network of over 70 high-performance computing (HPC) facilities.
• Implementation
  • Managed by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY), Government of India.
  • Estimated cost: Rs 4,500 crore over 7 years.
  • Supports initiatives like 'Digital India' and 'Make in India'.
• Current Status
  • India ranks 74th globally in supercomputing, with only 9 supercomputers out of more than 500 worldwide.
  • The mission addresses the growing computing demands of the scientific community and aligns with international technology trends.
• Infrastructure and Networking
  • Envisions a supercomputing grid with over 70 HPC facilities networked via the National Knowledge Network (NKN).
  • NKN connects academic institutions and R&D labs through a high-speed network.