India has reached a pivotal milestone in its semiconductor journey with the unveiling of DHRUV64, the nation's first indigenous 1.0 GHz, 64-bit dual-core microprocessor. Developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) under the Microprocessor Development Program (MDP), this processor represents a fully homegrown technology capable of powering both strategic and commercial applications.

Microprocessors serve as the core intelligence behind modern devices, from mobile phones and computers to automobiles, medical equipment, defence systems, and satellites. For India, mastering this technology is crucial to diminish dependence on foreign suppliers and bolster the burgeoning electronics and digital economy.

DHRUV64 incorporates cutting-edge architectural features that deliver superior efficiency, enhanced multitasking, and greater reliability. Its design facilitates seamless integration with diverse external hardware, while leveraging advanced fabrication techniques akin to those in high-performance chips. This positions it ideally for sectors like 5G infrastructure, automotive systems, consumer electronics, industrial automation, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

The strategic importance of DHRUV64 lies in its role as a cornerstone for India's secure, self-reliant semiconductor ecosystem. It fortifies indigenous capabilities in processor development, underpinning critical digital infrastructure and curtailing long-term reliance on imports.

India accounts for approximately 20 per cent of global microprocessor consumption, underscoring the need for domestic solutions. DHRUV64 equips the country's vast talent pool with a contemporary platform to propel the semiconductor ecosystem forward.

Prior to DHRUV64, India had laid foundational stones with processors such as SHAKTI from IIT Madras in 2018, tailored for strategic, space, and defence uses; AJIT from IIT Bombay in 2018, aimed at industrial and robotics applications; VIKRAM from ISRO-SCL in 2025 for space navigation and operations under harsh conditions; and THEJAS64 from C-DAC in 2025 for industrial automation.

These developments, culminating in DHRUV64, foster a robust Indian processor ecosystem, driving innovation across multiple domains.

DHRUV64 empowers startups, academia, and industry to prototype and scale computing products using homegrown technology, bypassing foreign dependencies. It lowers costs for new system architectures and harnesses India's 20 per cent share of the world's chip design engineers to cultivate skilled professionals.

This success paves the way for next-generation processors, Dhanush and Dhanush+, which are now in active development.

The Government of India spearheads this progress through the Digital India RISC-V (DIR-V) Program, launched to realise Aatmanirbhar Bharat by establishing India as a global hub for Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM). It focuses on a comprehensive suite of RISC-V-based microprocessors for industrial, strategic, and consumer applications.

RISC-V's open-source instruction set architecture eliminates licensing fees, enabling broad adoption and collaborative innovation among industry, start-ups, and research bodies. This shared framework accelerates development under DIR-V.

DHRUV64, the third chip fabricated under DIR-V, advances India's indigenous roadmap by shunning proprietary costs for versatile deployment. Preceding it were THEJAS32 at Silterra in Malaysia and THEJAS64 at Semiconductor Lab (SCL) Mohali domestically. Dhanush64 and Dhanush64+ System-on-Chip variants are likewise progressing.

This trajectory highlights India's maturing prowess in microprocessor fabrication and design.

A coordinated institutional framework underpins these achievements. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) provides policy guidance, funding, and planning via initiatives like MDP, DIR-V, Chips to Startup (C2S), and the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM).

C-DAC spearheads processor IP, SoCs, development boards, and tools, now advancing Dhanush and Dhanush+ to broaden RISC-V options for strategic and commercial needs.

MeitY's ISM, initiated in December 2021, has greenlit ten projects across six states with ₹1.60 lakh crore in investments, drawing global semiconductor players.

DIR-V, started in April 2022, unites researchers, start-ups, and industry in a collaborative design ecosystem.

The C2S Program, rolled out in 2022 across 113 institutions with ₹250 crore over five years, targets 85,000 industry-ready professionals and a vibrant fabless design scene.

The Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme from 2021 offers financial and infrastructural aid for ICs, chipsets, SoCs, and IP cores over five years.

INUP-i2i grants access to nanofabrication facilities, delivering 49 familiarisation workshops, 42 hands-on sessions, 36 industrial trainings, 10 hackathons, training over 8,000 personnel, and supporting 348 short-term plus 220 mid-term R&D projects.

India's strides from THEJAS32 to DHRUV64, backed by DIR-V, C2S, ISM, DLI, and INUP-i2i, exemplify a resolute push towards semiconductor self-reliance.

Through MeitY, C-DAC, academia, and industry synergy, the nation is forging the expertise and infrastructure for enduring technological sovereignty, with Dhanush and Dhanush+ heralding further breakthroughs.

PIB News Report