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India got its first chip on Tuesday as IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw presented the Vikram 32-bit processor to PM Modi at the Semicon India 2025 event in Delhi. The minister also handed over test chips from four sanctioned projects after the PM inaugurated the summit.
The deets: Vikram is India’s first fully indigenous 32-bit microprocessor, developed by ISRO’s Semiconductor Lab. It is designed to withstand harsh launch vehicle conditions, making it apt for space applications. The fabrication and packaging were done at the Semiconductor Hub in Mohali, Punjab.
Why it matters: until now, India has been largely dependent on foreign chips for everything from defence to space to consumer electronics. Vikram marks a symbolic shift, showing India can design, make, and package its own processor. That means more control over critical tech, less import dependence, and a strong boost to Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Zoom out: in the last three and a half years, over ₹1.6 lakh crore worth of semiconductor projects have been approved across six states. Through its Design Linked Incentive scheme, 23 chip design projects have been sanctioned with startups like Vervesemi are building chips for defence, EVs, aerospace, and energy systems.
Big theme: from phones to planes, hospitals to highways, no system runs without chips. Globally, they’re seen as both an economic engine and a strategic asset. With countries racing to secure supply chains, India’s first homegrown chip is a statement of intent.
For India, Vikram is just the start. With a growing ecosystem, global partnerships, and strong policy backing, the country wants to move from being a chip taker to a chip maker and eventually, a chip exporter.
