The Indian government has announced the successful development of the DHRUV64, the country's first fully self-developed 64-bit dual-core microprocessor running at 1.0 GHz. Led by the government-backed Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), this marks a strategic step forward in India's pursuit of semiconductor self-reliance. For a nation that consumes about 20% of the world's microprocessors but remains heavily import-dependent, this achievement holds significant importance.
The processor is designed to be a versatile, domestic solution. It is based on the open-source RISC-V instruction set architecture, avoiding costly licensing fees. Built on a mature 28nm process node, it integrates approximately 30 million logic gates and supports modern features like out-of-order (OoO) execution and superscalar technology. Its applications are broad, targeting sectors including 5G telecom infrastructure, automotive electronics, IoT, industrial automation, and defense systems.
The DHRUV64 is not an isolated project but a core outcome of India's Digital India RISC-V (DIR-V) initiative. It joins a growing family of other domestically developed processors like SHAKTI and AJIT. The government has also revealed plans to continue this momentum with the development of next-generation processors named Dhanush and Dhanush+, aiming to build a robust, self-sustaining MPU ecosystem.
ICgoodFind's Insight
India's launch of its own processor signals a growing global trend of nations seeking greater technological sovereignty in critical components. While moving from development to large-scale commercial deployment remains a key challenge, it is a clear statement of intent to reshape the domestic technology supply chain.
