India is set to take a major step towards semiconductor self-reliance with the development of its first indigenously designed 7 nanometre processor, named Shakti. The project, led by a research team at IIT-Madras, is expected to be completed by 2028, marking a breakthrough in India’s advanced computing ambitions.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reviewed the progress at IIT-Madras and gave the official go-ahead for preparing the chip’s indigenous production. The proposed 7 nm Shakti processor will power high-performance IT servers, serving as a critical hardware backbone for India’s digital and strategic infrastructure.

In a video shared by the minister, Vaishnaw affirmed the government’s commitment to integrate the chip production into India’s domestic semiconductor fabrication (Fab) ecosystem. He stated that the country would move progressively “from 28 nanometre to 7 nanometre technology” so that the processor can eventually be manufactured locally.

The project forms part of India’s long-term vision to strengthen technological sovereignty in semiconductor design and advanced computing. The Shakti 7 nm chip will be optimised for server-class applications, catering to sectors such as finance, communications, defence, and strategic infrastructure.

Currently, most high-performance processors that power smartphones, computers, and data servers globally operate in the 3 nm to 7 nm range. Developing an equivalent indigenous processor would place India among the limited group of nations capable of advanced node chip design and fabrication.

The Shakti program, which began at IIT-Madras several years ago, has already produced earlier variants of processors based on 28 nm architecture used in embedded systems and IoT devices. The planned 7 nm version signifies a leap in computing performance, energy efficiency, and scalability—key metrics for global competitiveness in semiconductors.

Based On PTI Report