IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw presents first ‘Made in India’ chip to PM Modi at Semicon 2025

Union Minister for Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw presented Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a memento containing the ‘Made in India’ Vikram 32-bit Processor Launch Vehicle Grade chip at the Semicon India 2025 on Tuesday (September 2, 2025).

The microprocessor chips were designed and developed by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre of the Indian Space Research Institute (ISRO) and the Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL), Chandigarh. Utilised for space flights, it is an advanced version of the indigenously designed 16-bit VIKRAM1601 microprocessor, which has been utilised in the Avionics system of ISRO’s launch vehicles since 2009.

Other than containing the ‘Made in India’ chip, the memento also contained 31 more prototype chips created by academic institutions, including IIT Jammu, IIT Roorkee, IIT Dhanbad, NIT Durgapur, NIT Calicut and IIT Ropar, among others.

Foundation laid well 

In his address at the annual semiconductor conference, the Union Minister overseeing technology observed that in three and a half years since the inauguration of the Indian Semiconductor Mission, “the world is looking at India with confidence”. Elaborating about India’s progress in the realm, Mr. Vaishnaw said construction of five semiconductor units is going on at a rapid pace, with the pilot line of one unit completed. Two more units are expected to start production “in a few months from now”, he said.

“Overall, foundation of the foundational industry is laid very well,” Mr. Vaishnaw observed.

Pitching India as a potential manufacturing hub to the participants of the semiconductor ecosystem present on Tuesday (September 2, 2025), Mr. Vaishnaw said, “In these uncertain times, you should come to India because our policies are stable, we have attempted to cover all important aspects of manufacturing sector.”