States » SouthPosted at: Oct 13 2026 7:10PM


Foreign chip dependence threatens defence security; India targets 100 pc indigenisation: DRDO

Bengaluru, Oct 13 (UNI) India must eliminate dependence on foreign suppliers for critical defence technologies, including semiconductor chips, software and algorithms, as even a small imported component could compromise an otherwise indigenous weapon system, a senior DRDO official said on Tuesday, calling for 100 per cent indigenisation and a long-term push towards two-nanometre chip technology by 2047.
BK Das, Director General of Electronics and Communication Systems, DRDO, said India's quest for strategic autonomy must extend beyond assembling military equipment domestically to controlling the entire technology chain, from design and manufacturing to the deployment of critical components.
“I don't care whether it is 60 or 70 or 80 per cent indigenisation. For me, it has to be 100 out of 100 per cent,” he said, underlining the risks of depending on foreign technology for even a small but indispensable part of a defence system.
Addressing the curtain-raiser event of the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC-2026) here, Das said India's semiconductor ambitions must be driven by the strategic requirements of its armed forces, with indigenous chips becoming essential to the development of advanced missiles, radars, electronic warfare systems and other sophisticated military platforms.
He cautioned that a weapon system could become unusable if a critical imported component were denied, irrespective of how much of the remaining system had been manufactured in India.
The challenge, therefore, was not merely to increase domestic manufacturing but to ensure that the core chips, software, algorithms and other critical technologies were developed and controlled within the country.
Das said India should aspire to achieve two-nanometre semiconductor technology by 2047, while building capabilities across chip design, fabrication and other strategic areas. He referred to the 100-nanometre, 28-nanometre and 14-nanometre technologies currently under discussion as part of the country's semiconductor ambitions.
He called for a clear roadmap identifying the critical technologies India must master over the next two decades to secure its defence requirements and emerge as a global technology power.
India's progress over the past 20 years demonstrated its potential to move from dependence on imported military equipment towards indigenous design and development, Das said. The next phase, however, must ensure that domestically developed systems are competitive in international markets.
“Atmanirbhar Bharat will make us self-sustained, but it cannot make us a global leader unless our systems are exported,” he said.
The economic opportunity is substantial. Das cited projections that the global semiconductor market, currently valued at around USD 600 billion, could expand to USD 1.5 trillion by 2047, with India aspiring to account for USD 200 billion.
He said India must become a global technology-design hub alongside its ambition to emerge as a major manufacturing centre, creating opportunities to harness domestic engineering talent and attract Indian semiconductor professionals working abroad.
Achieving these objectives would require close collaboration among DRDO, academic institutions, startups, industries and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), he said, stressing that defence technology development could not be undertaken by a single institution in isolation.
Das called for coordinated investment in indigenous research, semiconductor design and advanced manufacturing, with the objective of developing technologies tailored to India's strategic needs while reducing vulnerabilities arising from foreign supply restrictions.
He said complete technological indigenisation, backed by globally competitive products and exports, would be critical to India's transition towards Viksit Bharat and its emergence as a technology superpower.
UNI BDN
Tags: #Foreign chip dependence threatens defence security; India targets 100 pc indigenisation: DRDO
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