Content:
- National Supercomputing Mission
- Aadhaar authentication surges past 2,707 crore in 2024-25; UIDAI’s face authentication gains momentum
National Supercomputing Mission
Overview and Objectives
- Launched in 2015 as a flagship initiative to enhance High-Performance Computing (HPC) capability in India.
- Aims for Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) in supercomputing by indigenously developing critical hardware and software.
- Supports academic institutions, R&D labs, industries, and government departments via access to supercomputing resources.
- Connected through the National Knowledge Network (NKN) to enable high-speed, collaborative research.
Relevance : GS 3(Technology)
Key Features
- Three-phase mission structure focusing on:
- Phase I: Basic supercomputing infrastructure, mostly imported components, domestic assembly.
- Phase II: Indigenous software stack and increased Indian value addition (up to 40%).
- Phase III: Complete indigenization – design, development, manufacturing within India.
- Jointly steered by DST and MeitY; implemented by C-DAC and IISc.
Achievements (as of March 2025)
- 34 supercomputers deployed with combined capacity of 35 Petaflops.
- Over 85% utilization, with many systems exceeding 95% usage.
- Supported 10,000+ researchers, including 1,700+ PhD scholars from 200+ institutions.
- Enabled completion of 1 crore+ compute jobs and 1,500+ publications in leading journals.
- 22,000+ individuals trained in HPC and AI.
- Start-ups and MSMEs using HPC for innovation and development.
Notable Installations and Innovations
- Param Pravega at IISc Bengaluru (3.3 Petaflops) – India’s most powerful academic supercomputer.
- Param Shivay at IIT BHU (2019) – first indigenous supercomputer under NSM.
- Param Rudra Series (2024): Pune, Delhi, Kolkata – built using indigenous Rudra servers and software stack.
- Deployment of 45 Petaflops additional capacity using domestic technologies in 2024-25.
Trinetra Network – Indigenous HPC Interconnect
- Developed by C-DAC for high-speed data transfer between computing nodes.
- Phased development:
- Trinetra-POC (proof of concept)
- Trinetra-A (100 Gbps, deployed in 1PF PARAM Rudra)
- Trinetra-B (200 Gbps, upcoming in 20PF PARAM Rudra)
AIRAWAT – AI Supercomputing Initiative
- Aims to create common AI compute platform for academia, research hubs, and industry.
- POC: 200 AI Petaflops; scalable to 790 AI Petaflops.
- Secured 75th rank in the Top 500 Global Supercomputing List (ISC 2023).
Budget and Expansion Plans
- Budget allocation/utilization: ₹1874 crore for infrastructure, R&D, HRD, and mission operations.
- Future plan: Install more 20 PetaFlop systems at IITs and major institutions.
Synergy with India Semiconductor Mission (ISM)
- ISM to enable domestic manufacturing of HPC-critical components like processors, accelerators, memory chips.
- Reduces dependency on imports and enhances affordability, customization, and performance of supercomputers.
- Helps NSM achieve complete self-reliance and global competitiveness.
Societal and Scientific Impact
- Facilitated R&D in Drug Discovery, Climate Modeling, Disaster Management, Energy Security, etc.
- Bridged regional disparity by empowering Tier-II & Tier-III institutions.
- Strengthened India’s research base, innovation ecosystem, and global HPC ranking.
Conclusion
- NSM is a game-changer in India’s digital and scientific ecosystem.
- Supports research excellence, technological self-reliance, and global supercomputing leadership.
- Combined with ISM and AIRAWAT, NSM prepares India for the next generation of scientific and industrial challenges.
Aadhaar authentication surges past 2,707 crore in 2024-25; UIDAI’s face authentication gains momentum
Context: Aadhaar authentication and e-KYC usage have surged to record levels in FY 2024–25, driven by AI-powered face authentication, expanding digital access and ease of service delivery across sectors.
Relevance : GS 2(Governance) , GS 3(Technology)
Key Highlights (2024–25)
- 2,707 crore Aadhaar authentication transactions in FY 2024–25; 247 crore in March 2025 alone.
- Cumulative Aadhaar authentications cross 14,800 crore since inception.
- 15 crore face authentications in March 2025 — showing sharp adoption.
- Aadhaar e-KYC crossed 44.63 crore in March 2025 (6% YoY growth).
- Prime Minister’s Award conferred to UIDAI for Face Authentication innovation.
- 100+ public and private entities actively using Aadhaar Face Authentication.
- 1.91 crore Aadhaar updates and 20 lakh new Aadhaar issuances in March 2025.
Foundational Drivers
- Digital India push: Aadhaar is a critical infrastructure for e-Governance and public service delivery.
- Legislative and policy support: Aadhaar Act 2016 and subsequent SC judgments have provided regulated backing.
- ICT growth: Proliferation of smartphones, internet, and AI/ML capabilities enabling facial biometric authentication.
- Banking/Telecom reforms: Aadhaar e-KYC has been a game changer for onboarding and verification processes.
- Data architecture: Aadhaar database is now integrated with multiple service delivery mechanisms (e.g., DBT, PDS, LPG).
Impact and Future Potential
- Ease of Doing Business: Quick customer verification in BFSI, NBFCs, fintech, and telecom.
- Welfare Delivery: Seamless, leak-proof access to subsidies, pensions, scholarships, and food rations.
- Facial Authentication Scalability: Expected to become mainstream in contactless public authentication, especially post-COVID.
- AI-powered Governance: Face Authentication showcases how AI/ML can streamline public services with low friction.
- Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): Aadhaar remains the backbone for India Stack, ONDC, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, and more.
- Financial Inclusion: Aadhaar-linked bank accounts and e-KYC push help expand access to formal credit.
- Interoperability Boost: UIDAI’s systems set global benchmarks for population-scale authentication.
Strategic Implications
- Strengthens India’s global image as a leader in Digital Public Goods (DPGs).
- Bridges the inclusion divide, enabling Tier II/III cities and rural areas to access formal systems.
- Enhances data-driven policymaking by tracking service usage in real time.
- Raises need for robust data protection and privacy frameworks amid rising digital footprint.
