India has crossed a decisive technological threshold by mastering gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor technologies—chips that outperform traditional silicon in extreme, high-power environments. What began as a classified defence breakthrough inside DRDO laboratories in 2023 has now expanded into a broader national capability, spanning military platforms, space systems and industrial power electronics.
From next-generation radars and missiles to AI data centres and electric mobility, these compound semiconductors are reshaping how India designs, builds and deploys critical technology. Together, defence innovation and private-sector partnerships are pushing India into an exclusive global league of advanced semiconductor nations.
Key Highlights on India’s GaN and SiC Semiconductor Breakthrough
- India successfully developed GaN Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMICs) in 2023, reducing dependence on foreign suppliers for critical defence electronics.
- The breakthrough places India alongside the US, France, Russia, Germany, South Korea and China in advanced compound semiconductor capability.
- GaN and SiC chips outperform silicon in high temperature, high voltage and high-frequency environments essential for modern warfare.
- Indigenous GaN MMICs now support radars, missiles, drones, electronic warfare systems and space-based surveillance platforms.
- A strategic partnership between Navitas Semiconductor and Cyient Semiconductors aims to build a complete GaN ecosystem in India for high-power industrial and AI applications.
- Compound semiconductors are emerging as the backbone of India’s push for technological self-reliance and supply-chain security.
A Quiet Defence Breakthrough That Changed India’s Semiconductor Trajectory
In March 2023, scientists working across Delhi and Hyderabad achieved what had eluded India for decades: the successful fabrication of GaN MMICs. The work was carried out inside the Solid State Physics Laboratory (SSPL), one of the most sensitive facilities under the Defence Research and Development Organisation.
SSPL’s 1,300-square-metre clean room—engineered to eliminate even microscopic contamination—became the site of celebration after years of painstaking research. The achievement marked a turning point in India’s defence electronics, enabling indigenous production of chips that sit at the heart of modern radars, missiles and surveillance systems.
Why Silicon Falls Short on the Modern Battlefield
Silicon has powered electronics for decades, but modern warfare imposes demands it cannot meet. Military platforms—especially drones and missiles—require four critical capabilities: persistence, precision, lethality and connectivity.
Silicon chips typically tolerate temperatures up to about 150°C. Beyond that, they risk thermal runaway, leading to failure. High-frequency operations needed for long-range detection demand greater power density, something silicon struggles to provide. In hypersonic or electronic-warfare environments, these limitations become operational vulnerabilities.
How GaN and SiC Chips Change the Equation
Compound semiconductors such as GaN and SiC combine elements from different groups of the periodic table, giving them properties uniquely suited for extreme conditions.
- GaN chips deliver five to ten times higher power density than silicon and enable much faster electron movement.
- SiC chips withstand temperatures up to 600°C and dissipate heat three times faster than silicon.
A GaN chip delivering 30 watts measures just 3.5 mm × 3 mm, yet switches power nearly 300 times faster than silicon. These characteristics allow smaller, lighter and more powerful defence systems with improved reliability.
From Radars to Missiles: Military Applications of Compound Semiconductors
GaN MMICs are now integral to advanced military platforms. They power active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars capable of detecting multiple targets simultaneously and switching beams almost instantaneously.
In missiles, SiC-based electronics ensure guidance systems survive extreme heat generated by atmospheric friction at high speeds. For non-kinetic warfare, GaN systems enable high-power jamming and counter-jamming by concentrating energy on specific frequencies.
These capabilities are essential for multidomain operations spanning land, sea, air, space, cyber and the electromagnetic spectrum.
The Long Road from GaAs to GaN
India’s compound semiconductor journey began in the 1990s with gallium arsenide (GaAs) technology. While GaAs proved valuable for microwave and satellite applications, GaN remained out of reach due to its complexity and fabrication precision.
The breakthrough came after sustained effort at SSPL and the Gallium Arsenide Enabling Technology Centre (GAETEC) in Hyderabad. Each fabrication cycle takes about 80 days and involves hundreds of tightly controlled processes. Only after repeated optimisation was a final production run possible.
Technology Denials and the Push for Self-Reliance
The decisive push toward indigenous GaN development followed technology denial during negotiations linked to the Rafale fighter aircraft deal. Although components were available, the underlying GaN technology was not shared due to its strategic sensitivity and export controls such as ITAR.
These restrictions forced Indian scientists to innovate independently. Earlier programmes, including airborne early-warning systems, had already highlighted the risks of relying on foreign suppliers for mission-critical electronics.
Space, Surveillance and Scale of Deployment
GAETEC – fabricated MMICs now support major space and surveillance programmes. India’s SBS-3 space-based surveillance system and RISAT radar imaging satellites rely on thousands of compound semiconductor chips.
An X-band radar payload alone can require more than 9,000 MMICs, many of which are produced and screened domestically. These components operate under strict international trade controls, underscoring the strategic value of indigenous capability.
Industrial Expansion: Navitas–Cyient Partnership
Beyond defence, GaN adoption is expanding into civilian and industrial sectors. Navitas Semiconductor Corporation has entered a long-term strategic partnership with Cyient Semiconductors to accelerate GaN adoption in India.
The collaboration focuses on co-developing GaN power devices, digital and mixed-signal ICs, system modules and design platforms for high-voltage, high-power markets. Target sectors include AI data centres, electric mobility, high-performance computing, energy-grid infrastructure and industrial electrification.
The partnership aligns with the government’s “Make in India” initiative and aims to build a secure, localised GaN supply chain.
Remaining Challenges in the GaN Ecosystem
Despite major progress, challenges remain. Reliable GaN fabrication requires ultra-pure precursor gases and reactors costing hundreds of crores, many of which are still imported. To address this, projects are being routed through academic institutions to develop indigenous alternatives and strengthen the domestic supply chain.
Spiritual Perspective: Saint Rampal Ji Maharaj Ji’s Unique Knowledge on Science, Power and True Progress
According to the unique spiritual knowledge of Saint Rampal Ji Maharaj, true progress of humanity is not achieved by technological advancement alone, but by the balanced development of science and spiritual wisdom. He explains that scientific power, when guided by right spiritual understanding, becomes a tool for welfare rather than destruction. Saint Rampal Ji Maharaj Ji emphasizes that knowledge without spiritual direction often leads to conflict, insecurity and misuse of capabilities.
His teachings highlight that real strength lies in righteous conduct, self-control and correct spiritual knowledge, which ensure that scientific achievements serve peace, safety and global harmony instead of fear and domination.
India’s Strategic Leap into the Compound Semiconductor Era
India’s mastery of GaN and SiC technology represents more than a scientific milestone. It marks a shift toward sovereign control over the electronics that underpin national security, space capability and high-power infrastructure.
By combining defence-led innovation with private-sector participation, India has built a foundation for next-generation systems that are faster, stronger and more resilient. As global demand for compound semiconductors rises, India’s entry into this exclusive club signals a long-term commitment to technological independence and strategic strength.
FAQs on India’s GaN and SiC Semiconductor Breakthrough in Defence and High-Power Technology
1. What is India’s GaN and SiC semiconductor breakthrough?
India has successfully developed GaN MMICs and advanced SiC chips, enabling indigenous high-power, high-temperature electronics for defence, space and strategic systems.
2. Why are GaN and SiC chips better than silicon for defence applications?
GaN and SiC chips handle higher heat, voltage and frequencies, offer greater power density and reliability, and perform better in extreme battlefield conditions than silicon.
3. How do GaN chips strengthen India’s military capabilities?
GaN chips power advanced radars, missiles, drones and electronic warfare systems, enabling longer range detection, faster response, jamming capability and improved operational reliability.
4. What role do DRDO, SSPL and GAETEC play in GaN development?
SSPL develops advanced materials, GAETEC fabricates MMICs, and DRDO integrates them into defence and space platforms, ensuring end-to-end indigenous semiconductor capability.
5. How does the Navitas–Cyient partnership support India’s GaN ecosystem?
The partnership aims to localise GaN design, manufacturing and supply chains in India, accelerating adoption across AI data centres, electric mobility, energy grids and industrial power systems.
