Important Facts For Prelims
Digital India RISC-V (DIR-V) Program
- 08 Aug 2023
- 3 min read
Why in News?
Recently, the Union Minister of Electronics & IT addressed the Digital India RISC-V (DIR-V) Symposium organized by IIT Madras in Chennai.
- The one-day symposium, organized by IIT Madras, emphasized the government’s vision for DIR-V which currently aims to build a robust ecosystem for RISC-V with effective public-private partnerships and collaborations with premiere academic institutions.
What is the Digital India RISC-V (DIR-V) Program?
- About:
- The DIR-V Program is a forward-looking initiative that aims to uplift India's semiconductor ecosystem.
- Its primary goal is to promote indigenous innovation in the field of microprocessors, laying the foundation for self-reliance.
- The program emphasizes three key principles: innovation, functionality, and performance, shaping its direction for the future.
- Navigating Complex Digital Realities:
- The program acknowledges the increasing demand for silicon chips in today's digitized world.
- As emerging technologies like 5G and 6G reshape the digital landscape, DIR-V anticipates finding applications in various areas such as cloud services, Internet of Things(IoT), and sensors.
- Integral Role in High-Performance Computing:
- DIR-V is positioned at the heart of India's aspirations for high-performance computing.
- Collaborations with organizations like the Center for Development of Advance Computing (C-DAC) and public-private partnerships will ensure that DIR-V plays a pivotal role in these ambitious goals.
RISC-V:
- The term RISC stands for “reduced instruction set computer” which executes few computer instructions whereas ‘V’ stands for the 5th generation.
- It is an open-source hardware ISA (instruction set architecture) used for the development of custom processors targeting a variety of end applications.
- It also enables designers to create thousands of potential custom processors, facilitating faster time to market. The commonality of the processor IP also saves on software development time.
- RISC-V processors find versatile applications in wearables, IoT, smartphones, automotive, aerospace, and more, offering power efficiency, performance customization, and security. They excel in space-constrained designs and complex computational tasks.
- The RISC was invented by Prof. David Patterson around 1980 at the University of California, Berkeley.
Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC):
- It is the leading R&D institution under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), specializing in IT, Electronics, and related areas.
- Established in 1988 to counter the denial of supercomputer imports, C-DAC's journey began with the development of India's first Supercomputers PARAM.
- C-DAC plays a pivotal role in India's IT revolution by continuously innovating and leveraging its expertise to develop and deploy IT products and solutions aligned with the nation's policies and market needs.
