India is poised to make a transformative leap in semiconductor technology with its angstrom-scale chip initiative, led by a 30-member team from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). This project aims to develop chips at the atomic scale—ten times smaller than today’s 3-nanometer (nm) technology—by harnessing the unique properties of 2D materials like graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs).

What Are Angstrom-Scale Chips?

Angstrom-scale chips refer to semiconductor devices with features measured in angstroms (1 angstrom = 0.1 nm), representing the next frontier in electronics miniaturisation. While current state-of-the-art chips operate at the 3nm node, angstrom-scale chips push into the sub-nanometre regime, enabling dramatic increases in transistor density, performance, and energy efficiency.

Traditional silicon-based technology faces fundamental physical and material limitations at these scales. To overcome this, IISc’s proposal focuses on 2D materials, which are only an atom thick but offer exceptional electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties. This shift could enable devices that are faster, cooler, and up to 10x smaller than current silicon-based chips.

Strategic Timeline And National Significance

The IISc’s angstrom initiative has followed a structured timeline:

2021: Early outreach to key government agencies (MeitY, DRDO, DoS, NITI Aayog) on 2D semiconductor research.
April 2022: First detailed project report submitted to the Principal Scientific Adviser.
September 2022: NITI Aayog endorses the project’s strategic value.
October 2024: Revised proposal submitted to MeitY, refining technical and funding roadmaps.
April 2025: Public disclosure of the ₹500 crore, five-year mission.
June 2025: National review underway, with backing from the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) and cross-sectoral discussions.

This initiative is part of a broader government push for self-reliance in critical technologies and aligns with India’s ambitions to become a global player in the post-silicon era, joining the U.S., South Korea, and Taiwan at the forefront of semiconductor innovation.

Applications And Impact

Angstrom-scale chips have the potential to revolutionise multiple sectors:

AI And Edge Computing: These chips could power ultra-compact, secure edge devices for surveillance, autonomous drones, and encrypted battlefield communications. Their high efficiency and small size are ideal for AI accelerators, enabling faster, lower-power training of large language models and AI systems.

Defence And Security: With agencies like DRDO involved, the chips could enable next-generation defines electronics—faster, stealthier, and more secure systems for battlefield and intelligence applications.

Healthcare And Wearables: Their low heat and power footprint make them suitable for implantable biosensors, AI-assisted diagnostics, and continuous health monitoring devices.

Climate And Infrastructure: Angstrom-scale chips could empower low-power sensors for real-time climate modelling, smart grid optimisation, and disaster prediction, even in remote or harsh environments.

Quantum Computing And Advanced Research: The extreme miniaturisation and unique quantum properties of 2D materials could open doors to breakthroughs in quantum computing and other advanced technologies.

India’s Position In The Global Race

India’s angstrom initiative is notable for its cost-effective approach—the ₹500 crore proposal is modest compared to massive global investments (e.g., Europe’s $1 billion+ in 2D materials, South Korea’s $300 million). While India’s semiconductor industry is still developing—relying heavily on imports and large-scale collaborations (e.g., Tata Electronics with Taiwan’s PSMC)—the IISc project could catalyse a shift toward domestic capability and technological sovereignty.

Challenges And Road Ahead

Despite its promise, the project faces several challenges:

Funding And Scale: The proposed budget is small compared to global peers, underscoring the need for sustained investment and timely execution.

Talent And Infrastructure: India excels in chip design but lacks large-scale fabrication expertise and supply chain depth, which will require strategic partnerships and capacity building.

Global Competition: The U.S., South Korea, and Taiwan are already investing heavily in post-silicon research, making speed and focus essential for India to catch up.

Synergy With IndiaAI Mission

The angstrom-scale chip initiative complements India’s GPU-powered AI mission, which has deployed over 34,000 high-performance GPUs for AI, ML, and scientific computing. As AI models become more complex, the need for denser, faster, and more energy-efficient chips grows—precisely what angstrom-scale semiconductors can deliver. Together, these efforts could position India as a global hub for both advanced chip design and next-generation AI infrastructure.

In summary, India’s angstrom-scale chip initiative, if successful, could redefine the country’s role in global technology—moving from software prowess to leadership at the molecular level of hardware. By investing in atomic-scale R&D and leveraging 2D materials, India is not just scaling up compute with GPUs but redefining the substrate of intelligence itself—with far-reaching implications for AI, defence, healthcare, and beyond.

Agencies