Made in India, Made for Space: The Rise of the IRIS AI Chip

 

🇮🇳 India Launches First Indigenous AI Chip: Aatmanirbhar Tech Milestone

In a bold stride toward technological independence, India has successfully developed and booted its first indigenous aerospace-grade AI chip, marking a major leap for the nation’s semiconductor capabilities. Named IRIS (Indigenous RISC-V Controller for Space Applications), the chip is the result of a historic collaboration between IIT Madras and ISRO’s Inertial Systems Unit (IISU).

This achievement isn't just a win for Indian innovation — it also lays the foundation for India’s ambitions in global semiconductor manufacturing and artificial intelligence development.

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🚀 What is the IRIS Chip?

The IRIS chip is built on the open-source SHAKTI processor framework, a part of the global RISC-V architecture ecosystem. It is designed specifically for aerospace and defense applications, including:

• Command-and-control systems

• Satellite sensor networks

• Launch vehicles

• Ground stations

Unlike most modern chips that are fabricated and packaged overseas, the IRIS chip was entirely developed within India, truly embodying the spirit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

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🛠️ Built by India, For India

Every stage of the chip's life cycle was completed using Indian infrastructure:

Process	Institution/Company
Design	IIT Madras & ISRO IISU
Fabrication	Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL), Chandigarh
Packaging	Tata Advanced Systems, Karnataka
PCB Manufacturing	PCB Power, Gujarat
Assembly	Syrma SGS, Chennai
Booting & Validation	IIT Madras

Professor V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, emphasized that the chip was designed, fabricated, packaged, assembled, booted, and tested — all in India. This success demonstrates a complete semiconductor ecosystem, not just a one-off innovation.

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🧠 Why RISC-V and SHAKTI Matter

The SHAKTI microprocessor project by IIT Madras is India's first effort at creating open-source, scalable CPU designs. RISC-V, the underlying architecture, is gaining momentum globally because it:

• Is royalty-free

• Supports custom hardware-software optimization

• Encourages innovation without foreign restrictions

IRIS is based on the C-class of SHAKTI processors — 64-bit controllers suitable for real-time embedded systems.

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📈 Significance of the Milestone

🔐 National Security

Locally developed chips reduce the threat of hardware-level backdoors, crucial for defense and aerospace systems.

💰 Economic Impact

Currently, India imports most of its chips. With IRIS and its successors, billions in imports could be saved annually while creating jobs and opportunities in the tech sector.

🌌 Space-Readiness

The IRIS chip is built for extreme environments. A flight test is already being planned, and once proven, IRIS could become the core of future ISRO missions.

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🔭 What Comes Next?

This milestone is part of a long-term roadmap:

• Testing & Qualification: Space-grade validation via future ISRO missions

• Advanced Fabrication: Transition from 180nm nodes to smaller, more powerful processes

• Commercial Expansion: Use of SHAKTI chips in consumer electronics, IoT devices, and AI hardware

• Training & Ecosystem Growth: Expansion of India’s RISC-V talent pool

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📝 Conclusion

The successful launch of the IRIS AI chip isn't just a technological achievement — it is a symbol of India's self-reliance, innovation, and strategic preparedness. As the country marches forward with the Digital India and Make in India missions, IRIS represents a new era where India doesn't just consume technology — it creates it.

Stay tuned — because this is only the beginning of India’s silicon-powered future.