India Unveils Indigenous 'Vikram' Chip, Boosts Chipmaking Push

At a semiconductor industry event in Delhi on Tuesday, India debuted the "Vikram," a 32-bit microprocessor that is entirely indigenous and was created by and for the Indian Space Research Organization.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who recently visited China and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, referred to microprocessors as "digital gems" during the ceremony. The significance of these tiny computing powerhouses was emphasized when he added, "If the last century was shaped by oil, this is by a small chip."

If anything, the prime minister was downplaying the importance of microprocessors in a world where everything depends on microchips, from the life-saving medical equipment in hospitals to the watch on your wrist and the automobile in your garage. Microchips are necessary for almost all contemporary electronic devices, and India is establishing itself as a major participant in this market, vying with the US, Taiwan, China, and South Korea.

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The Prime Minister made the case for more international investment in India's fledgling semiconductor and microprocessor sector, which is currently valued at an estimated $50 billion and is expected to reach $100 billion by 2030. He said, "The world is ready to build the semiconductor future with India." According to sources who spoke to NDTV, the explosion has already started; ten fabrication facilities will receive $18 billion in investments, and the government is also creating a "complete ecosystem" for the design, development, production, and packaging of microchips.