Union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday presented the first “Made in India” chip to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the inauguration of Semicon India 2025 in Delhi. The minister handed over the Vikram 32-bit processor along with test chips of four approved projects, describing the milestone as a turning point in the country’s semiconductor journey.“Just a few years ago, we met for the first time to make a new beginning driven by our Prime Minister’s farsighted vision, we launched the India Semiconductor Mission. In a short span of 3.5 years, we have the world looking at India with confidence. Today, the construction of five semiconductor units is going on at a rapid pace. We just presented the first ‘Made-in-India’ chip to PM Modi,” Vaishnaw said.On X, Vaishnaw added, “First ‘Made in India’ Chips! A moment of pride for any nation. Today, Bharat has achieved it. This significant milestone was made possible by our Hon’ble PM @narendramodi Ji’s far-sighted vision, strong will and decisive action.”At the event, PM Modi highlighted that 10 semiconductor projects worth over $18 billion are underway across six states. “The day is not far when the smallest chip made in India will drive the biggest change in the world,” he said.He also underlined that India is advancing towards the next phase of the Semiconductor Mission and revamping the design-linked incentive scheme to capture a share of the $1 trillion global chip market.
What is Vikram?
- Developed by
Isro ’s Semiconductor Lab (SCL) in Chandigarh in collaboration with the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Vikram is India’s first fully indigenous 32-bit microprocessor. - Officially named
VIKRAM3201 , the chip is qualified to function under the harsh environmental conditions of launch vehicles. It was fabricated at SCL’s 180nm CMOS fab and validated in space during Isro’s PSLV-C60 mission in 2024. - The processor is an advanced version of the earlier 16-bit VIKRAM1601 microprocessor, which has been used in Isro’s launch vehicles since 2009.
- The newer chip comes with
floating-point computation capability, custom instruction set architecture, and high-level language support. - Isro has also developed in-house tools such as compilers, assemblers, and simulators for its applications.
India’s semiconductor vision
Semiconductors form the backbone of modern systems, powering healthcare, transport, communication, defence, and space technologies. Since the launch of the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) in 2021, the country has moved rapidly from vision to reality.To support this transformation, the government rolled out a Rs 76,000 crore Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, of which nearly Rs 65,000 crore has already been committed. A major milestone was achieved in August 2024 with the inauguration of one of the country’s first end-to-end Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) pilot line facilities at Sanand, Gujarat, where semiconductor firm CG-Semi is expected to roll out the first commercial ‘Made in India’ chips.Alongside fabrication, design has also been prioritised. Through the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme, 23 chip design projects have been sanctioned, encouraging startups and innovators to create indigenous solutions. Companies like Vervesemi Microelectronics are already developing advanced chips for defence, aerospace, electric vehicles, and energy systems, marking India’s transition from being a consumer of chips to becoming a global creator.
