National Supercomputing Mission for promoting research and development

National Supercomputing Mission for promoting research and development

Question - e-Kranti is one of many initiatives to further the agenda of Digital India in the nation. Discuss the features of the National Supercomputing Mission for promoting research and development as well.

• Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has recently approved the launch of the National Supercomputing Mission.

• This programme enabled India to join the ranks of world class computing nations across the globe

• The mission will be implemented and steered collectively by the Department of Science and Technology as well as Department of Electronics and Information Technology

• The cost of this project is pegged at INR 4,500 crore over 7 years

• Mission also empowers the national academic and research & development institutions throughout the country

• The mission envisages an installation of a massive supercomputing grid comprising more than 70 high performance computing facilities

• Supercomputers will be networked on the National Supercomputing Grid through the National Knowledge Network

• NKN is a governmental programme connecting academic institutions as well as R&D labs over a network with rapid speed

• Academic and R&D institutions alongside key user departments/ministries will participate using these facilities and develop relevant applications for national development

• Mission also works for the development of competent and professional High Performance Computing aware HR personnel for meeting the needs of application development

• Mission implementation also focuses on bring supercomputing within the grasp of researchers and scientists to provide qualitative and quantitative development in research and higher education in areas of science and technology

• The country will also solve grand challenges using the supercomputing technology

Facts and Stats

• A major share of supercomputing machines in the world are currently located in Japan, China, the EU and the US

• Mission views India to be in the select league of such countries

• This mission supports Digital India as well as Make in India

• National Supercomputing Mission can be developed by the Centre for the Development of Advanced Computing and the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

• Designing vehicles, aeroplanes, infrastructure such as building and bridges as well as discovering new energy sources and life saving drugs are just some of the innovations possible through the use of supercomputing

• Disaster management is another key area where the Mission will create a powerful impact