IBM and C-DAC Join Forces to Propel India’s High-Performance Computing Sector
In an ambitious move set to redefine India’s position in the global technology landscape, IBM, a titan in hybrid cloud and AI technologies, has joined hands with the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), a premier R&D organization under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). This collaboration, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), aims to significantly enhance India’s capabilities in processor design and manufacturing, focusing on the field of High-Performance Computing (HPC).
This partnership is not just a leap toward technological advancement but also a strategic initiative to empower the developer community in India. It aims to foster innovation across a comprehensive technology stack that includes processor design, system design, firmware, and application development. This will be boosted by contributions to open-source projects, marking a significant step towards technological self-reliance and innovation.
The collaboration will see the promotion of IBM’s Power processor within the HPC domain, targeting a diverse group including startups, MSMEs, research institutions, and academic settings. The duo plans to engage in multiple activities designed to boost India’s tech ecosystem through skill development, competency building and fostering a strong environment for HPC research and development.
Efforts will include offering guidance to nascent and established companies for developing robust HPC systems, encouraging co-innovation across a range of aspects from architecture to system management, and facilitating capacity-building workshops and design scrutinies for implementation allies.
The union of IBM and C-DAC under this initiative is driven by the shared objective of making India a powerhouse in HPC and semiconductor technology. As stated by the Union Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Electronics & IT, and Jal Shakti, this era marks an unparalleled time in technology’s evolution – particularly within India’s growing tech ecosystem. The government’s vision, aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambition, is to position India as a global semiconductor hub, extending beyond manufacturing into the realms of chip and IP design across sectors.
Sandip Patel, the Managing Director of IBM India & South Asia, echoed the sentiment by highlighting the burgeoning demand for High-Performance Computing, driven by technologies such as AI. This demand represents an immense opportunity for India to become a leader in the HPC space, given the availability of adequate resources and expertise. This partnership, according to Patel, is a step towards creating the ecosystem necessary for such growth, contributing to India’s digital transformation and economic development.
The initiative also includes plans to initiate the design and development of competitive indigenous processors based on the IBM Power architecture, renowned for its capability to handle data-intensive, mission-critical workloads with unprecedented reliability, security, and performance. This endeavor could significantly shorten the innovation cycle for the Indian developer community in the HPC sphere, streamlining the process of bringing new technologies to market.
This groundbreaking partnership between IBM and C-DAC not only signifies a major leap towards technological sovereignty for India but also reinforces IBM’s global commitment to innovation, trust, transparency, and societal service. As this collaboration unfolds, the future of India’s technology landscape looks brighter and more promising than ever.
