C-DAC Partners with MosChip and Socionext for Indigenous HPC Processor Development

New Delhi: The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) has announced a significant partnership with MosChip® Technologies and Socionext Inc. for the design and development of a High-Performance-Computing (HPC) Processor System on Chip (SoC) based on the Arm® architecture. This state-of-the-art processor will be built using Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited’s (TSMC) 5nm technology node.

Development of Indigenous HPC Processor AUM

C-DAC, an organization established to advance supercomputing technology in India, is making strides towards complete indigenization of its systems. This includes the development of the indigenous compute node RUDRA, Trinetra-Interconnect, and a comprehensive System Software stack. To further this goal, C-DAC is now designing an indigenous HPC Processor named AUM. For effective program management, C-DAC has engaged Keenheads Technologies, an Indian startup, as the Program Management Consultant (PMC) for this project.

Collaboration for Advanced Processor Design

The project sees C-DAC collaborating with MosChip Technologies of India and Socionext Inc. of Japan. Together, they are designing and developing the HPC Processor AUM, which is based on the high-performance Arm Neoverse™ V2 CPU platform and incorporates advanced packaging technology. This collaboration aims to maintain ownership of unique differentiators, thus providing a significant competitive edge in the global market.

Statements from Key Officials

During the announcement, Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), highlighted the progress of indigenization efforts: “Our indigenization efforts have reached more than 50% with server nodes, interconnects, and system software stack. Now, for complete indigenization, we are aiming to develop the indigenous HPC Processor AUM. The Government of India and MeitY are committed to driving India towards a technologically sovereign advanced future, harnessing supercomputing for national development and global leadership.”

Dr. Praveen Kumar S, Head of Scientific Divisions (HOD) at the Department of Science and Technology, commented on the importance of the initiative: “Today’s announcement is a significant achievement in chip design. It demonstrates India’s capability in indigenous development in the field of high-performance computing. These ventures in consortia mode in partnership with industry are the need of the hour.”

Shri E Magesh, Director General of C-DAC, also expressed his views on the collaboration: “This collaboration is designed to meet the evolving demands of High-Performance-Computing & related applications and aims to design, develop, and produce an indigenous HPC processor that not only meets global standards but also propels India to the forefront in the supercomputing arena.”

Future Prospects

This partnership marks a crucial step towards technological sovereignty and advanced computing capabilities in India. By developing an indigenous HPC processor, India aims to establish itself as a leader in the supercomputing field, driving national development and achieving global leadership in technology.