Bengaluru to Host India's Most Powerful 30-Petaflop Supercomputer
In a landmark development set to significantly boost India's research capabilities, Bengaluru has been chosen as the site for the nation's most powerful supercomputer. This new 30-petaflop machine will nearly double India's current cumulative computing capacity, which stands at 39 petaflops across 37 existing supercomputers. The project is being executed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) under the National Supercomputing Mission and is expected to be fully operational by the end of the year.
The supercomputer is envisioned as a critical tool for advancing research in various fields, including artificial intelligence (AI), climate modeling, drug discovery, and national security. Bengaluru's selection highlights its robust technology ecosystem, skilled workforce, and established chip design industry. The announcement was made by S. Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, at the launch of Supercomputing India 2025 (SCI2025) in Hyderabad, an event focused on high-performance computing (HPC), AI, and quantum technologies.
ISRO's Ambitious Space Roadmap and Private Sector Growth
India's space sector is charting an ambitious course with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) outlining plans for a human landing on the Moon by 2040, with its maiden human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, on track for a 2027 launch. This roadmap also includes the establishment of a national space station by 2035 and three uncrewed Gaganyaan missions by 2026, the first of which will feature the half-humanoid robot 'Vyommitra' and is targeted for December 2025.
The private space ecosystem in India is also experiencing rapid growth, with ISRO chairman V Narayanan noting that over 300 startups are now engaged in satellite manufacturing, launch services, and space-based data analytics. This surge is largely attributed to the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), which has been instrumental in integrating private players into the national space framework. A significant private initiative includes GalaxEye's 'Mission Drishti,' India's first multi-sensor Earth observation satellite. This 160 kg satellite combines synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and high-resolution optical payloads, offering 1.5-meter resolution imagery and designed to operate in all weather conditions and at any time of day. GalaxEye plans to launch 8-10 such satellites over the next four years. Furthermore, the Crew Escape System (CES) for the Gaganyaan mission has successfully undergone flight tests, underscoring India's commitment to astronaut safety.
Biotechnology Sector Witnesses Rapid Expansion and Innovation
The Indian biotechnology sector is on a significant upward trajectory, projected to grow from a $130 billion industry in 2024 to $300 billion by 2030, driven by the government's BIO-E3 policy (Biotechnology for Economy, Employment, and Environment). Union Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, emphasized the need for a self-sustainable science and technology ecosystem with greater private sector participation.
Several initiatives are bolstering this growth:
- The dhaRti BioNEST Incubation Centre was inaugurated at IIT Dharwad, serving as a catalyst for biotech and deep-tech innovation by providing state-of-the-art infrastructure, labs, mentorship, and access to funding for startups.
- CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST) celebrated its golden jubilee, inaugurating an Innovation Centre, an AI and Machine Learning laboratory, and showcasing innovations like 'Vidyut Swasthya' ā a pedal-assisted exercise system that converts human energy into electricity.
- CSIR-NIIST also announced the transfer of technology for aluminium-magnesium-scandium (Al-Mg-Sc) alloys for aerospace and defense systems, and signed MoUs for sustainable wastewater management in houseboats and smart tyres.
- Telangana is emerging as a global hub for Life Sciences and MedTech, having attracted over ā¹63,000 crore in new investments in the last two years and aiming for a $250 billion Life Sciences economy by 2030.
Digital Infrastructure and Innovation Ecosystem
In digital infrastructure, Bharti Airtel announced a strategic partnership with IBM to augment its Airtel Cloud services. This collaboration will integrate Airtel Cloud's reliability and data residency with IBM's cloud solutions and advanced infrastructure for AI inferencing, aiming to accelerate digital innovation for Indian enterprises.
Efforts to foster a broader innovation ecosystem were also highlighted, with the India Research Tour 2025 reaching IIT-BHU to strengthen research collaboration and promote Open Access and Open Science. Furthermore, global electronic components distributor DigiKey is sponsoring the 2025 Circuit Digest Smart Home and Wearables Project Contest, encouraging Indian engineers and students to develop impactful smart home and wearable technologies.