Archive · 14 Sep 2026
India DRDO Demonstrates Indigenous GaN Chips for Radar Warfare
India’s defence scientists have developed special chips called Gallium Nitride chips.
These chips help military equipment send, receive, and control very fast signals.
They can be used in radars, electronic warfare systems, communications equipment, and unmanned systems.
One small chip measuring 3.5 by 3 millimetres can produce up to 30 watts of power.
The report says it can work 300 times faster than silicon-based chips.
Scientists at the Solid State Physics Laboratory developed the processes needed to make these components.
The technology uses Silicon Carbide wafers and can support systems that are smaller and lighter.
The government sees the work as part of its effort to build more defence technology inside India.
DRDO successfully developed and demonstrated indigenous Gallium Nitride technology for high-frequency military applications.
The work includes X-band Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits and S-band GaN amplifiers, transistors, and switches.
A 3.5-by-3-millimetre GaN chip can deliver up to 30 watts and operate at speeds reported as 300 times faster than silicon-based chips.
The technology is intended for radar, electronic warfare, communications, surveillance, unmanned systems, and other strategic applications.
The Ministry of Defence said the development supports India’s semiconductor self-reliance and involves production efforts at SSPL and GAETEC.
- Who
- India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation, including scientists at the Solid State Physics Laboratory, developed the technology.
- What
- Indigenous Gallium Nitride semiconductor components, including X-band MMICs and S-band amplifiers, transistors, and switches, were fabricated and demonstrated.
- When
- The Ministry of Defence report described the achievement; no specific date was provided in the article.
- Where
- The work was conducted through DRDO facilities, with limited production capability established at GAETEC in Hyderabad.
- Why
- The technology is intended to strengthen India’s self-reliance in defence electronics and support radar, electronic warfare, communications, and strategic systems.
- Technology
- Gallium Nitride-based MMICs, HEMT power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers, and switch MMICs
- Frequency bands
- X-band and S-band
- Chip size
- 3.5 by 3 millimetres
- Reported power
- Up to 30 watts for one chip; GaN HEMTs up to 150 watts and X-band MMICs up to 40 watts
- Primary applications
- Radar, electronic warfare, communications, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and unmanned systems
- Lead organisation
- Defence Research and Development Organisation
- Production site
- GAETEC in Hyderabad has established limited production capability for indigenous GaN-on-SiC MMICs
- Industry partnership
- Agnit Semiconductors Private Limited received a contract under the Innovations for Defence Excellence initiative to develop GaN wireless transmitters