India could launch first indigenous chipset by 2023-24, major RISC-V player: MoS IT

The open source design of RISC-V computer chipsets is becoming a global movement with India as a leading player, State Minister for Electronics and Computing Rajeev Chandrasekhar said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the RISC-V technology conference organized by Tenstorrent, the Minister said that Indian startups using RISC-V have huge opportunities to develop AI products, devices and solutions with companies. global companies like Tenstorrent showing interest in collaborations.

“RISC-V is becoming a global movement with India as a leading player,” Chandrasekhar said.

The Ministry of Electronics and Computers has launched the Digital India RISC-V (DIR-V) program to launch the first indigenous chipset by 2023-24 and boost local development of microchips.

“These are extremely exciting times for the tech space and over the next five years the centers of gravity will be rebuilt around new geopolitics and new talent pools. Young Indians will shape the future of design Semicon and build and create new products, new devices and new solutions,” the minister said.

Chandrasekhar, himself a former chip designer, hailed legendary chip designer Jim Keller’s decision to set up his startup Tenstorrent’s office in India.

Keller is known for his work designing the AMD K7 processor, which was the first computer chipset to achieve 1 gigahertz processing speed, AMD K8 processors, Apple A4 and A5 chipsets and later his role in AMD’s core design team.

The Apple A4 chip was used to build the first iPad.

“I am pleased that less than a year after the launch of the 1st Semicon India conference by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, global semicon leaders like Jim Keller are moving to India and catalyzing future design startups in the country. The time and place for RISC-V is India and Bengaluru is the capital of RISC-V innovation,” said Chandrasekhar.

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