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Turning Point: India requested GaN technology in the Rafale deal but was refused. In turn, DRDO initiated its indigenous development. Barred from compound chip technology by foreign nations, Indian scientists followed their tradition: Make in India.

India's history of innovation shines through: sanctions after the 1974 Operation Smiling Buddha and 1998 Operation Shakti tests fuelled self-reliance, much like the space program's cost-effective achievements.

Indian scientists at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have achieved a landmark breakthrough in gallium nitride (GaN) technology, marking a pivotal step towards self-reliance in defence electronics, reported Sanjib Kr Baruah of The Week.

On 23 March 2023, cheers echoed through the Solid State Physics Laboratory (SSPL) in Delhi, a facility equipped with a 1,300-square-metre clean-room for precision work. Scientists in sterile overalls celebrated cracking the code for GaN monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs).

This success ended India's dependence on foreign suppliers for these high-value chips, propelling the nation into an elite group of just six countries: the US, France, Russia, Germany, South Korea, and China.

MMICs, known as compound semiconductors, combine multiple elements for superior performance over silicon. They offer higher efficiency, faster switching speeds, and resilience in extreme conditions like high temperatures and voltages.

Gallium arsenide (GaAs) chips, developed by India in the 1990s, suit low-to-moderate power microwave applications, such as mobile phones and satellites. GaN chips excel in high-power scenarios, operating at up to 1,000 degrees Celsius with exceptional electron mobility.

A single GaN chip, measuring just 3.5mm by 3mm, can deliver 30 watts and switch power 300 times faster than silicon equivalents. These chips power critical military systems in drones, missiles, radars, fighter jets, and naval platforms.

Sensors reliant on GaN enable precise navigation, electronic warfare, range-finding, night vision, surveillance, camouflage detection, target tracking, missile guidance, and imaging through fog or clouds—essentials in modern conflict.

As warfare shifts to unmanned, autonomous systems enhanced by AI and quantum technologies, compound semiconductors like GaN become indispensable for real-time decision-making and sensor-driven operations.

The breakthrough stemmed from foreign denials, notably during 2016 negotiations for 36 Rafale jets from France's Dassault Aviation in a ₹59,000-crore deal. India sought GaN technology transfer under a 50 per cent offset clause worth ₹30,000 crore, but it was rejected as too sensitive.

DRDO responded decisively, launching indigenous GaN development. SSPL in Delhi focuses on advanced materials, while the Gallium Arsenide Enabling Technology (GAETEC) centre in Hyderabad fabricates MMICs, with weeks of rigorous testing preceding the 2023 success.

One fabrication cycle spans 80 days, encompassing hundreds of precise processes. SSPL Director Meena Mishra, with 35 years at the lab, described the effort as kneading dough ready for any 'bread'—a versatile base for diverse applications.

The foundation traces to former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who championed indigenous compound semiconductors. SSPL first supplied GaAs chips to ISRO before advancing to GaN.

Challenges persist: ultra-pure precursor gases (99.99999 per cent purity) and reactors worth hundreds of crores are still imported from the US and Europe. DRDO is now tasking academia with indigenising these.

Suma Varughese, DRDO's Director General for Micro Electronic Devices, stressed that foreign embargoes could halt key programmes. Past projects like LSTAR radar and Netra airborne surveillance faced delays, spurring creative indigenous solutions.

India's history of innovation shines through: post-1974 Operation Smiling Buddha sanctions and 1998 Operation Shakti tests drove self-reliance, much like the space programme's cost-effective triumphs.

SSPL and GAETEC chips now underpin ISRO's missions, including three RISAT radar imaging satellites—each with over 7,000 chips, 5,760 made in India. They support the SBS-3 surveillance program and X-band radars needing 9,000 MMICs, many GAETEC-produced.

These X-band components face strict export controls, yet domestic production ensures secure supply chains for border, maritime, communication, navigation, and interplanetary missions.

The global GaN market, valued at $3.5-4.1 billion in 2025, is forecast to hit $10-12 billion by 2030—roughly ₹1 lakh crore. IIT-Guwahati's Ankush Bag predicts regional foundries will reshape geopolitics, with commercial 5G and charger demand lowering costs.

DRDO offers technology transfer at nominal cost to Indian industry, fostering GaN foundries, economic growth, and monolithic integration for compact, efficient systems.

Self-reliance in GaN is not merely cost-saving; it forms the bedrock of sovereign defence capabilities, shielding against overnight embargoes and enabling leaps in future technologies.

Based On The Week Report