2 weeks ago
India's VIHAAN chip hits first-pass silicon success, eyes 2027 production
Inside nearly every electronic gadget, like phones, computers, and internet boxes, there is a tiny part called a chip.
A chip is a very small 'brain' that tells the gadget what to do.
A company in India called Aheesa made its own special chip and named it VIHAAN.
VIHAAN helps bring fast internet, called fibre broadband, to homes and offices.
Making a chip is very, very hard, and usually the first try has mistakes.
But VIHAAN worked perfectly on the very first try, which is a big deal called 'first-pass success.'
This means India can make more of its own chips instead of buying so many from other countries.
India's government is helping by giving money to chip startups and building new chip factories.
The country's leader, PM Modi, says more chip plants are on the way.
The company hopes to make lots of VIHAAN chips starting in 2027.
Chennai-based fabless startup Aheesa Digital Innovations achieved first-pass silicon success for VIHAAN, an indigenous broadband networking System-on-Chip (SoC) built using the VEGA microprocessor.
VIHAAN was taped out on Republic Day (January 26) and achieved first-pass silicon success on Independence Day (August 15); production tape-out is targeted for 2027.
Aheesa raised about Rs 40 crore from the Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Fund Management Corporation, through the Tamil Nadu Emerging Sector Seed Fund, and private investors to accelerate development.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India expects five to eight new semiconductor plants to begin operations over the next seven to eight years, with three major plants already started and exporting production.
Under the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme, supported companies have cumulatively achieved over 30 chip design tape-outs and raised over USD 100 million in venture capital funding.
- Who
- Aheesa Digital Innovations, a Chennai-based fabless semiconductor startup; the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY); and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who highlighted India's chip push in his Independence Day address.
- What
- Achievement of first-pass silicon success for VIHAAN, an indigenous broadband networking System-on-Chip (SoC) built using the VEGA microprocessor, with production tape-out targeted for 2027.
- Where
- India — the chip was designed by Chennai-based Aheesa Digital Innovations, and the milestone was announced by MeitY.
- When
- Announced on Independence Day (August 15, 2026); VIHAAN was taped out on Republic Day (January 26, 2026).
- Why
- To support India's push to expand fibre broadband networks, build domestic semiconductor manufacturing capacity, and reduce dependence on imported silicon.
Key facts
- Chip
- VIHAAN broadband networking System-on-Chip (SoC)
- Company
- Aheesa Digital Innovations (Chennai-based fabless startup)
- Funding
- About Rs 40 crore from TNIFMC/TNESSF and private investors
- Production tape-out
- Targeted for 2027
- Announcement
- First-pass silicon success declared by MeitY on August 15, 2026
- DLI Scheme results
- Over 30 chip design tape-outs and USD 100 million+ raised
- Semicon 2.0 outlay
- Rs 1,27,500 crore, approved in July 2026
- Chips to Startup Programme
- 245 chip designs taped out by 71 academic institutions
Quotes
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Head of the Government of India
“"Bharat has begun establishing its own semiconductor manufacturing capacity"”
financialexpress.com
Sources
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