India has achieved a landmark breakthrough in semiconductor self-reliance with the development of the VEGA processor under the Digital India RISC-V (DIR-V) program.

This marks the nation’s entry into the elite group of countries capable of designing and fabricating advanced microprocessors, reducing dependence on foreign suppliers and strengthening its strategic electronics ecosystem.

The VEGA processor family has been designed and developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). It is part of the DIR-V initiative launched to establish India as a global leader in open-source RISC-V architecture.

The VEGA series includes 32-bit and 64-bit single, dual, and quad-core processors, supporting both in-order and out-of-order superscalar execution. These processors integrate advanced features such as multi-level caches, memory management units (MMU), and coherent interconnects, making them suitable for diverse applications ranging from embedded systems to industrial automation and strategic defence electronics.


A major milestone was achieved with the successful fabrication of THEJAS64, a 64-bit single-core system-on-chip (SoC) at the Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL) in Chandigarh. This chip represents India’s first fully indigenous design and fabrication of a RISC-V based processor.

Alongside this, VEGA-based SoC ASICs and multiple development boards have been launched, including the ARIES NOVA and ARIES ECO platforms. These boards are designed to support embedded system developers, IoT innovators, robotics enthusiasts, and start-ups, providing a cost-effective and versatile environment for experimentation and product development.

The DIR-V programme also anchors collaboration with academia and industry. IIT Madras, IIT Bombay, and other institutions have contributed complementary processors such as SHAKTI and AJIT, while C-DAC has focused on VEGA.

Together, these efforts form a national ecosystem of indigenous processors, ensuring India’s capability to design, verify, and manufacture chips across multiple technology nodes, including 130nm and 180nm fabrication processes.

This ecosystem is supported by board support packages, software development kits, integrated toolchains, and debugging environments, enabling end-to-end product development within India.

The strategic importance of the VEGA processor lies in its ability to reduce reliance on foreign semiconductor giants. Almost every processor used globally today originates from a handful of companies in the United States, Europe, and East Asia.

By creating its own family of processors, India is not only securing its digital sovereignty but also opening opportunities for start-ups, MSMEs, and entrepreneurs to innovate on indigenous hardware platforms. This aligns with the national vision of “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” and “Make in India, Make for the World,” ensuring that India transitions from being a technology importer to a technology exporter.

The VEGA processors are expected to find applications across strategic defence systems, industrial automation, consumer electronics, IoT devices, and AI-enabled platforms.

Their open-source RISC-V foundation ensures scalability, security, and adaptability, while indigenous design guarantees control over intellectual property and supply chains.

The DIR-V program is also fostering international collaboration, with India positioning itself as a hub for RISC-V innovation, attracting global talent and investment into its semiconductor sector.

This achievement represents a turning point in India’s semiconductor journey. With VEGA, India has demonstrated its ability to design, fabricate, and deploy advanced processors, laying the foundation for a secure, self-reliant, and globally competitive digital economy.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)