Chennai, 11th February 2025 – In a major boost to India’s self-reliance in space technology, IIT Madras and ISRO have successfully developed and tested an advanced semiconductor chip designed for space applications.
Named ‘IRIS’ (Indigenous RISCV Controller for Space Applications), this chip is entirely made in India—from design to manufacturing—marking a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to reduce dependence on foreign technology.
The project, led by IIT Madras and ISRO’s Inertial Systems Unit (IISU) in Thiruvananthapuram, aims to provide a reliable and efficient processing unit for space missions.
The chip was designed at IIT Madras, manufactured at the Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL) in Chandigarh, and packaged at Tata Advanced Systems in Karnataka.
This new microprocessor is based on SHAKTI, an indigenous technology developed by IIT Madras under the Digital India RISC-V Initiative. It will be used in ISRO’s command and control systems, satellite technology, and other critical applications.
Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, called this achievement a proud moment for India’s semiconductor industry.
"Every step, from chip design to software development, happened within India, proving that we have the capability to build high-quality semiconductor technology ourselves," he said.
ISRO Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan lauded the collaboration, saying, "This marks a major step in India's ‘Make in India’ vision for semiconductors. We plan to test this chip in an actual space mission soon."
With this successful launch, India has taken a significant step towards self-reliance in semiconductor technology, strengthening its position in the global space sector.
