India has taken another step towards strengthening its domestic semiconductor ecosystem after the Technology Development Board (TDB), under the Department of Science & Technology (DST), signed an agreement with Bangalore-based BigEndian Semiconductors for financial support of ₹130 crore through the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund , announced PIB.

The funding support, structured as Optional Convertible Debt (OCD), will support Project VeerAI, a ₹260 crore initiative focused on advancing an indigenous AI Vision System-on-Chip (SoC) from Technology Readiness Level (TRL)-5 to TRL-9 and moving the technology towards commercial deployment.

Project VeerAI is centred on the development of a camera-focused AI Vision SoC built on a sovereign technology platform. The effort is intended to address the growing demand for secure, intelligent and application-specific semiconductor solutions developed within India.

A key objective of the program is to create a secure AI chip designed primarily for surveillance applications, particularly CCTV systems, reducing dependence on foreign semiconductor technologies and external supply chains in strategically important sectors.

The proposed platform will integrate artificial intelligence processing with advanced security, privacy and connectivity features, enabling intelligent edge-based data processing while supporting greater technology sovereignty.

Initially, the technology will target CCTV and surveillance deployments across India and countries in the Global South. However, the long-term roadmap extends far beyond surveillance, with planned applications across defence, automotive, industrial and medical sectors.

The initiative seeks to capitalise on India’s expanding VLSI design expertise and semiconductor engineering talent by transforming indigenous design capabilities into a scalable and commercially viable chip platform.

Unlike general-purpose processors, the focus on application-specific SoCs is expected to deliver solutions tailored to defined operational requirements, accelerating development cycles, product deployment and commercialisation opportunities.

The project arrives at a time when intelligent devices and connected systems are becoming increasingly embedded across critical infrastructure. As a result, secure domestic semiconductor technologies are gaining strategic importance for data protection, privacy, device-level intelligence and national technology resilience.

Through the RDI-backed funding, BigEndian Semiconductors will carry out the technology development, validation, integration, testing and scale-up activities necessary to progress the platform from advanced prototype maturity to full commercial readiness.

TDB Secretary Rajesh Kumar Pathak said semiconductors form the foundation of nearly every emerging technology and that strengthening indigenous capabilities in application-specific AI chips is vital for India’s technology ecosystem. He noted that the RDI Fund is designed to support technologies requiring substantial investment to bridge the gap between advanced development and commercial deployment, while also enabling Indian firms to convert domestic semiconductor design expertise into deployable products.

The promoters of BigEndian Semiconductors said the support would accelerate development and validation activities for Project VeerAI, helping move the AI Vision SoC towards commercial readiness. They added that the company remains focused on building a secure semiconductor platform capable of serving surveillance and other critical sectors while leveraging India's indigenous chip-design strengths.

The project also aligns with broader national efforts to expand the country’s semiconductor value chain, strengthen domestic intellectual property creation and establish indigenous alternatives in critical technology domains.

If successfully commercialised, Project VeerAI could create an Indian-developed AI semiconductor platform serving security-sensitive and high-growth markets while reducing reliance on imported technologies.

PIB