(September 25, 2025) From wristwatches and cars to the medical equipment in hospitals, nearly every modern electronic item in today’s digital world relies on microchips. For decades, countries like the US, China, Taiwan and South Korea have been far ahead of other nations in developing these miniature powerhouses of computing. Now, India has arrived, staking its claim as a key player in this critical arena with ‘Vikram 3201‘, a distinctly Made-in-India breakthrough.
At a recent semiconductor industry event in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed microprocessors as “digital diamonds,” declaring, “If the last century was shaped by oil, this is by a small chip.” He urged global investors to participate in India’s semiconductor and microprocessor journey—an industry already worth an estimated $50 billion and projected to cross $100 billion by 2030. Modi emphasised that this achievement would significantly reduce the cost of India’s space missions and affirmed that the world is ready to build the semiconductor future with India.
This clarion call came as India unveiled the fully indigenous 32-bit microprocessor developed by and for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). More than just a technological milestone, it signals India’s growing capacity to design and manufacture space-grade microchips that can endure extreme temperatures and punishing conditions while remaining fully functional.
Made-in-India milestone
Named after Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, the father of India’s space programme, Vikram 3201 is a major leap over the earlier 1601 variant used by ISRO since 2009. This 32-bit microprocessor with a custom instruction set architecture can handle complex commands and withstand the rigours of space—launch vibrations, radiation, and temperature swings from –55 °C to +125 °C. It is a key step in the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat push, giving India autonomy over critical technology and lowering supply-chain vulnerabilities. The first fully home-made chip can handle 32 bits of data at a time and can be programmed—the instruction set architecture, or ISA—to understand and execute a wide variety of orders.
Engineering feat of global standards
Designing any microprocessor is a delicate and tedious task. Designing one for space is even more daunting. “But designing a chip that survives launch vibrations, extreme temperatures, and radiation, all while being computationally efficient and small isn’t easy—this is a real engineering feat only achieved by a dozen countries in the world,” says Dr. Mugdha Polimera, Astrophysicist and Software Engineer at NASA Astrophysics Data Systems.
She highlights that more competition means less monopoly pricing and more affordable missions. “Space tech has always been where big innovations start—GPS, satellites, computing—so I’m curious if this will also spark a leap in India’s AI and space autonomy efforts,” she tells The Global Indian, noting how India is finally joining the space technology party in a big way.
Reducing dependency and inspiring innovation
By making it domestically, India reduces its dependency on foreign suppliers and the risk of monopoly pricing, making future missions more affordable and more secure. “It gives India autonomy over critical technology, lowers supply-chain vulnerabilities, and builds the foundation for India to innovate across the entire space hardware ecosystem,” Dr. Mugdha points out. She is hopeful this can spark a generation of engineers and scientists to build technologies that go far beyond this single achievement, catalyzing students and researchers at Indian universities and labs to design and test their own engineering products not only for space but for other high-tech industries as well.
Powering end-to-end space missions
Dr. Mugdha explains that more competition and local capability mean India can now supply not just launch services but also the core electronics for ambitious lunar, Martian, or satellite missions. “With private players entering the Indian space sector, having a reliable, flight-tested, indigenous chip opens doors for affordable, end-to-end mission capabilities within the country.”
When compared with widely used international processors, the Vikram-32 holds its own where it matters most. It runs at ~100 MHz, consumes under 500 mW of power, and operates across extreme temperatures from –55 °C to +125 °C. Like its global counterparts, it prioritizes reliability, radiation tolerance, and power efficiency over raw speed or cutting-edge fabrication nodes. “Designing such a chip isn’t easy, and it takes years of testing and verification. But India now has a processor competitive with proven international hardware, built locally, and ready for the next generation of space missions,” she adds.
Mugdha Polimera, Astrophysicist and Software Engineer at NASA Astrophysics Data Systems
Precision for Chandrayaan and beyond
“What makes ‘Vikram’ remarkable is its use in the historic Chandrayaan missions, where precision, reliability, and performance are non-negotiable,” says Radha Krishna Kavaluru, Associate Director – software and firmware, Dhruva Space. Speaking to Global Indian, he explains that this microprocessor was specifically designed to operate in the harshest environments of space, supporting India’s lunar exploration goals with utmost autonomy. “India is no longer just a consumer of advanced technology; it is emerging as a key global player in microelectronics. This is not merely about competing in an industry—it is about asserting technological sovereignty, inspiring the next generation of engineers, and powering India’s vision for an Atmanirbhar Bharat,” he points out.
Building a comprehensive chip ecosystem
The Modi government is building what it calls a comprehensive ecosystem for the design, development, manufacturing, and packaging of microchips. According to some estimates, $18 billion is to be invested across 10 fabrication facilities in the near future, paving the way for the design and manufacture of chips for civilian use. For major electronic companies, these chips are a critical component.
The country’s semiconductor industry is growing rapidly. Under the India Semiconductor Mission, a nodal agency under the Ministry of Information Technology and Electronics, over $7 billion has already been committed towards building and operationalising fabrication plants across the country. Reports suggest that in July this year, Tata Electronics signed a $10 billion electronics and semiconductors deal with German tech giant Robert Bosch GmbH for plants in Assam and Gujarat. Besides, the government has reportedly given the green signal for a $433 million venture between HCL and Foxconn to produce display driver chips for mobile phones, laptops, and other devices in Uttar Pradesh. In the near future, fabrication and packaging plants are expected to come up in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Punjab.
Radha Krishnan Kavuluru, Associate Director, Dhruva Space
As Radha Krishna mentions the journey from being dependent on imported microchips to developing our own high-performance solutions reflects the indomitable spirit of Indian science and engineering. “It shows how strategic investments in R&D, coupled with visionary leadership and the passion of scientists and engineers, can redefine national capabilities,” he adds.
Shaping the future
India’s first indigenous space-grade microprocessor is more than a breakthrough in technology; it is a statement of sovereignty and a spark for innovation. From the Chandrayaan missions to next-generation satellites and AI applications, Vikram sets the stage for India to become a global semiconductor powerhouse. As Prime Minister Modi put it, these “digital diamonds” are shaping the century ahead—one small chip at a time.
