India continues to strengthen its high-performance computing (HPC) capabilities through the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM), a flagship initiative aimed at creating a self-reliant ecosystem for advanced computational infrastructure. Launched in 2015, the NSM is being implemented collaboratively by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST), leveraging the expertise of the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). The mission has been allocated INR 450 crore ($542 million) to finance the deployment, maintenance, and development of supercomputing facilities across India.
Deployment and Computing Capacity
Under NSM, India has currently deployed 37 supercomputers with a combined computing power of 40 petaflops, providing substantial support to researchers, start-ups, and academic institutions nationwide. Notably, 34 of these supercomputers were installed over the past five years, highlighting the accelerated pace of infrastructure development.
The NSM project also includes ongoing work on six additional supercomputers, with a total investment of INR 680 crore ($82 million). These upcoming systems are being installed across premier institutions, including IISc, IITs, C-DAC facilities, research laboratories, and Tier II/III locations, and are expected to operate at more than 81% of their respective capacities, with several exceeding 95% utilization upon commissioning.
Impact on Research and Development
The deployed supercomputing infrastructure has become a vital resource for over 13,000 researchers, including 1,700 doctoral students, enabling them to execute more than one crore computational jobs across diverse domains. These high-performance computing systems are facilitating breakthroughs in fields such as scientific research, artificial intelligence, climate modelling, drug discovery, space research, and engineering simulations, positioning India as a competitive player in global computational science.
Strategic Significance
Beyond providing computing power, the NSM is designed to establish a secure domestic supply chain for all supercomputer components, reducing dependence on imports and enhancing India’s technological self-reliance. The mission also promotes capacity building, encouraging the development of expertise in hardware, software, and HPC-related technologies across academic and industrial ecosystems.
Summary:
India’s National Supercomputing Mission has deployed 37 supercomputers with 40 petaflops capacity, benefiting over 13,000 researchers. The initiative, backed by INR 450 crore, supports high-performance computing for research, start-ups, and academia, while strengthening the domestic supply chain and technological self-reliance.
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