VIHAAN Chip
Prelims:
Science & Technology
Mains:
GS Paper III: Science & Technology
Current relevance:
Aheesa Digital Innovations, a Chennai-based fabless semiconductor startup supported under the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme, has achieved first-pass silicon success with ‘VIHAAN’, a networking System-on-Chip (SoC) designed for fibre broadband using the indigenous VEGA microprocessor. The chip is expected to proceed towards production tape-out targeted for 2027.
Highlights:
About VIHAAN:
1.
Indigenous Broadband Chip: VIHAAN is a networking System-on-Chip (SoC) purpose-built for fibre
broadband.
2. Indigenous Technology: It has been built
using the indigenous VEGA microprocessor.
3. Developer: Designed by Aheesa Digital
Innovations, a Chennai-headquartered Indian fabless semiconductor startup
specialising in chips for broadband networking and security.
4. Development Milestone: The chip was taped
out on Republic Day and achieved first-pass silicon success on
Independence Day.
5. Next Stage: It will proceed towards production
tape-out, targeted for 2027.
Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme –
Role:
1.
The DLI Scheme supports
Indian startups in designing semiconductor chips for strategic and
commercial applications.
2. Supported applications include satellite communications, drones,
surveillance cameras, defence and aerospace systems, automotive, IoT
devices, LED drivers, AI systems, telecom equipment and smart meters.
3. DLI-supported companies have collectively achieved over 30
chip-design tape-outs across various foundries.
4. These companies have raised more than US$100 million in venture
capital funding, indicating growing investor confidence in India's
semiconductor design capabilities.
5. Aheesa raised around ₹40 crore from TNIFMC through the Tamil
Nadu Emerging Sector Seed Fund (TNESSF) and other private investors.
Strengthening India’s Chip-Design
Ecosystem:
1.
High Value Addition: Semiconductor chip design contributes up to 50% of overall value
addition across the semiconductor value chain.
2. Electronic Products: Semiconductor design
accounts for approximately 15–35% of the Bill of Materials (BOM) cost of
electronic products.
3. Design Infrastructure: State-of-the-art
chip-design tools have been provided to 455 organisations, comprising 350
academic institutions and 105 startups.
4. Academic Ecosystem: Under the Chips
to Startup (C2S) Programme, 245 chip designs have been taped out by 71
academic institutions to support future workforce requirements.
5. Commercialisation: Indian-designed
chips are increasingly progressing from laboratories to fabrication,
testing, validation and customer trials.
Other Recent DLI-Supported Successes:
1.
Vervesemi Microelectronics: Achieved first-pass silicon success for its BLDC Motor Controller
chip using an indigenous microprocessor by Incore Semiconductor, along with
its Motor Driver chip.
2. Netrasemi: Successfully tested a 12nm
Vision SoC with integrated video analytics acceleration.
3. OptoML: Received its 12nm
compute-in-memory SoC, designed for faster and more power-efficient AI
processing.
4. Mindgrove Technologies: Partnered with PRAMA
India to explore the use of its Vision SoC in CCTV surveillance cameras.
5. IndieSemiC: Secured global certification for
its Bluetooth (BLE 6) chip module.
Significance for India:
1.
Digital Infrastructure: Indigenous broadband chips can support India's expanding optical
fibre, 5G and broadband-led services.
2. Technological Self-Reliance: Domestic
semiconductor design strengthens self-reliance and domestic supply chains
in a strategically important technology.
3. Deep-Tech Investment: Growing
venture-capital funding demonstrates increasing investor confidence in Indian
semiconductor startups.
4. Complete Semiconductor Ecosystem: Government
initiatives seek to build capabilities across chip design, manufacturing,
advanced packaging, equipment, materials, R&D and skilled manpower.
5. Semicon 2.0: Approved in July 2026
with an outlay of ₹1,27,500 crore, it seeks to take India's efforts
towards building a globally competitive semiconductor ecosystem to the
next level.
Source: PIB - https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2299883®=48&lang=2