Vikram-32 Processor: India’s First Indigenous 32-bit Space-Grade Microchip by ISRO

India has entered a new era in semiconductor technology with the launch of Vikram-32 (VIKRAM3201)—the nation’s first fully indigenous 32-bit space-grade microprocessor. Officially unveiled on 2 September 2025 at the Semicon India Summit in New Delhi, the processor was presented by Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Developed by ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and fabricated at the Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL) in Mohali, Vikram-32 represents a complete design-to-fabrication success within India. For a country that has long depended on imported chips for critical space and defense applications, this breakthrough establishes India’s position in the global semiconductor landscape..

Why Vikram-32 Is a Milestone

India has designed chips before. Academic institutions such as IIT-Madras developed the Shakti processor project, and ISRO itself introduced Vikram-1601, a 16-bit microprocessor used in launch vehicles since 2009. But Vikram-32 is different in three ways:

1. End-to-end indigenous – Designed by Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), fabricated and packaged at Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL), Mohali. Every stage—design, fab, assembly, and testing—happened in India.
2. 32-bit architecture – Moving from 16-bit to 32-bit enables higher performance, wider memory addressing, and better suitability for modern mission software.
3. Space qualification – Built to survive extreme vibrations, radiation, and temperature swings in launch vehicles and satellites.

This combination makes Vikram-32 a symbol of technological sovereignty—a clear message that India can design and build critical chips without foreign dependence.

Technical Specifications of Vikram-32

Feature	Details
Process Node	180 nm CMOS at SCL Mohali, Punjab
Word Length	32-bit architecture
Instruction Set	Indigenous/custom ISA optimized for space applications
Lineage	Successor to Vikram-1601 (16-bit), used since 2009 in PSLV and GSLV
Toolchain	In-house Ada cross-compiler, assembler, linker, simulator; C compiler in development
Reliability	Space-grade: resistant to radiation, vibration, and thermal extremes
Validation	Tested successfully on PSLV-C60 launch mission
Applications	Launch vehicles, satellites, defense, aerospace, automotive, nuclear systems

Why 180 nm and not 5 nm?

At first glance, the 180 nm node may look outdated compared to cutting-edge chips at 3 or 5 nm. But for space-grade electronics, larger nodes are actually advantageous:

• Radiation Tolerance – Larger transistors are naturally more resilient to radiation and single-event upsets.
• Proven Libraries – Established IP blocks with decades of reliability data.
• Lower Complexity – Easier verification and faster qualification cycles.
• Cost Efficiency – Mature fabrication with predictable yields.

In other words, 180 nm is ideal for mission-critical systems where endurance and reliability matter more than sheer speed.

The Software Ecosystem: Ada First, C Next

Hardware is only half the story. For any processor to succeed, a strong compiler and development ecosystem is essential. ISRO has developed:

• Ada cross-compiler – Ada is widely used in aerospace for safety-critical applications, thanks to its strict type system and reliability.
• Assembler, linker, and simulator – All created in-house to ensure control over the full toolchain.
• C compiler (in progress) – This will broaden adoption, as C is the industry’s most widely used systems programming language.

By building its own compilers and simulators, ISRO ensures independence from foreign toolchains and full control over software security.

Vikram-32 and Kalpana-3201: The Twin Path

Interestingly, ISRO is pursuing two complementary processor designs:

1. VIKRAM3201 (Vikram-32) – Uses a custom, indigenous instruction set. This ensures full strategic control, but requires its own toolchain and ecosystem.
2. KALPANA-3201 – Based on SPARC v8 (IEEE 1754), an open-standard RISC architecture. This allows compatibility with existing SPARC software and tools.

This dual strategy balances self-reliance (Vikram-32) with global compatibility (Kalpana-3201). Together, they give ISRO flexibility in different mission scenarios.

Strategic Importance of Vikram-32

The unveiling of Vikram-32 goes beyond technical achievement. It carries major strategic, industrial, and economic implications:

1. Space Autonomy – Reduces reliance on imported radiation-hardened chips from the US, Europe, or Japan.
2. Defense and Security – Indigenous chips can power secure systems without supply chain vulnerabilities.
3. Semiconductor Ecosystem Catalyst – Demonstrates India’s ability to do design-to-fabrication entirely domestically.
4. Commercial Spillover – Technologies from space research often filter down to defense, automotive safety systems, energy, and even consumer electronics.

India’s Semiconductor Push: The Bigger Picture

Vikram-32’s launch aligns with India’s broader semiconductor mission:

• Five semiconductor facilities are under construction; a pilot line has already gone live.
• Tata Electronics’ fab at Dholera, Gujarat is moving forward, focusing on 28/40/90 nm nodes for commercial production.
• Government incentives under the Semicon India program aim to attract global players and build domestic capacity.
• Target: commercial chip production by end-2025.

In short, Vikram-32 is both a technical achievement and a symbolic boost for India’s semiconductor roadmap.

Global Comparisons

How does India’s milestone compare internationally?

• United States: NASA and defense agencies rely on rad-hard chips from vendors like BAE Systems (RAD750 based on PowerPC).
• Europe: ESA often uses LEON processors (SPARC-based, rad-hard).
• Japan: JAXA develops custom space processors with Mitsubishi Electric.
• China: Has been rapidly developing indigenous rad-hard CPUs to cut dependence on Western imports.

India’s Vikram-32 puts it in the same league: a nation with indigenous space-grade microprocessor capability.

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What Lies Ahead for Vikram-32

While Vikram-32 is already validated, several steps remain critical:

• Radiation Testing Standards – Total Ionizing Dose (TID) and Single Event Effect (SEE) metrics will need to be documented for global benchmarking.
• Wider Toolchain Support – Expansion to C, C++, and possibly real-time operating systems (RTOS).
  Volume Production – Scaling up at SCL Mohali and potential future fabs.
• Ecosystem Adoption – Board vendors, module makers, and integrators adopting Vikram-32 for wider use.

If these steps succeed, Vikram-32 could not only power India’s space program but also serve defense, nuclear, and high-reliability industries worldwide.

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