[News] India Actively Expanding in Third-Generation Semiconductor Industry

In recent years, India has been actively promoting the development of its semiconductor industry, with third-generation semiconductors, represented by silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN), receiving significant attention.

According to recent foreign media reports, India’s Minister of Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, revealed that the first “Made in India” chip is expected to be unveiled in September or October in 2025. Meanwhile, India is also developing GaN chips.

It is reported that India has allocated 3.34 billion rupees (approximately $43.08 million) to the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore for GaN technology research and development, targeting applications in telecommunications and power sectors.

The report states that a team of interdisciplinary faculty members at IISc has successfully developed India’s first electronic-mode GaN power transistor, meeting high-performance standards and laying a solid foundation for the industrial application of GaN technology.

In January 2025, India’s first SiC semiconductor plant officially broke ground in Odisha. The facility, expected to be completed within three years, will focus on producing SiC-based products to meet the demands of power electronics, renewable energy systems, and electric vehicles. The project is spearheaded by RIR Power Electronics Limited, with a total investment of 6.2 billion rupees (approximately $349 million).

Earlier reports indicated that India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), through its Solid State Physics Laboratory (SSPL), has successfully developed an indigenous process to grow and manufacture 4-inch SiC wafers.

Additionally, the organization has developed GaN HEMTs with a power output of up to 150W and monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) with a power output of 40W. These devices can be used in applications operating at the highest X-band frequencies.

(Photo credit: RIR Power Electronics Limited)