India must make its defence chips end‑to‑end, say scientists
Summary
- Scientists warned that reliance on imported semiconductors makes network‑centric weapons vulnerable.
- V.K. Saraswat, A. Sivathanu Pillai and Deleep Nair urged a domestic end‑to‑end chip ecosystem covering design, fabrication, testing and packaging.
- Waiting for advanced nodes only by 2030‑35 will leave India’s defence systems technologically lagging.
- Current Indian fabs operate at older nodes (180nm‑130nm), insufficient for modern high‑performance defence chips.
Key Facts
- · Imported chips are currently used in many Indian defence platforms.
- · End‑to‑end chip capability includes design, IP development, fabrication, packaging and testing.
- · Advanced nodes (7nm and below) are expected globally by 2030‑35.
- · V.K. Saraswat is a former DRDO chief; A. Sivathanu Pillai is a former ISRO/DRDO scientist; Deleep Nair is a semiconductor entrepreneur.
- · India’s existing semiconductor fab capacity is limited to older technology nodes.
- · Dependence on foreign chip supply poses strategic risks in conflict situations.
- · Government’s ‘Semicon India’ initiative aims to boost domestic semiconductor production.
Why it matters
Domestic end‑to‑end defence chip capability is crucial for strategic autonomy, ensuring secure and reliable weapon systems, and aligns with the broader Make in India and self‑reliance goals in defence technology.
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