Aheesa Unveils Vihaan‑I, India’s First Indigenous Broadband Chip, at Semicon India 2026 with Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

Backed by the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY)’s Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme

Aheesa Digital Innovations, a fabless semiconductor company, unveiled Vihaan-I, India’s first indigenously designed broadband networking chip, in the presence Union Minister for Electronics & IT Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw at Semicon India 2026, at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi.

Vihaan-I’s journey is tied to two of the nation’s defining dates. The chip was taped out on Republic Day, 26 January 2026, and achieved first-pass silicon success on Independence Day, 15 August 2026, validating India’s semiconductor ambitions.

“Unveiling Vihaan-I in the presence of Union Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, who is steering India's semiconductor mission, was a proud moment for everyone at Aheesa. Vihaan-1 is proof that a Viksit Bharat can use advanced technology and design it,” said Sridharan Mani, Founder and CEO, Aheesa Digital Innovations.

"With Vihaan-I, we have a working silicon designed in India, by an Indian team, for India's networks. Our focus is now on getting this chip into the hands of India's broadband and telecom equipment makers,” Saket Singh, Director & Chief Growth Officer, Aheesa Digital Innovations.

Vihaan-I is India’s first home-designed chip for broadband and fibre networks. It brings the core functions of the internet equipment found in homes and offices onto a single Indian-designed chip, built on the open-standard RISC-V architecture and powered by the indigenous VEGA processor developed by C-DAC. It serves as a Made-in-India alternative to the imported silicon that powers most of the country’s telecom and broadband networks today.

At Semicon India 2026, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw set out the six pillars of Semicon 2.0, with chip design named as the first pillar. Vihaan-I was among the Made-in-India chips he spotlighted, a working example of the design-led, indigenous milestone the mission is built to produce, and of the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision of designing strategic technology at home. Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw on Vihaan-I: https://x.com/AshwiniVaishnaw/status/2100302059757339086

Path to commercialisation

With Vihaan-I’s silicon now validated, Aheesa is moving decisively from design to market. The company has signed partnerships across the chip’s path to deployment including a packaging MoU with Optilink Networks, which will support product development from prototyping through to packaging and the joint development of broadband customer equipment built on Vihaan-I. They have also signed a distribution partnership with The Zigma Technologies India. Aheesa is now preparing for commercialisation targeted for early 2027, and expects the Vihaan roadmap to extend across the broadband, telecom and cybersecurity domains that form its core focus.

About Aheesa

Aheesa™ is a DPIIT-recognised fabless semiconductor company headquartered in Chennai. Established in 2021, Aheesa™, develops indigenous semiconductor and networking technologies for telecom, broadband, cybersecurity, and edge computing applications, with a vision to dream beyond boundaries. Aheesa™ offerings include System-on-Chip (SoC) solutions, networking processors, broadband access technologies, firmware, operating systems, and integrated hardware-software platforms for telecom and networking infrastructure. Aheesa™ has also been recognised under the Government of India’s Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme under the Semicon India program. Further, in 2026, Aheesa™ secured an investment from Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Fund Management Corporation (TNIFMC) through the Tamil Nadu Emerging Sector Seed Fund (TNESSF), reinforcing its commitment to making it happen through engineering-led execution and long-term technology capability building.

For more information, please visit:

Website: www.aheesa.com

VIHAAN: India’s Homegrown Broadband Chip Tapes Out for 2027 Production

VIHAAN Chip (Image ~ www.aheesa.com) 

Chennai-based Aheesa Digital Innovations has achieved first-pass silicon success with its indigenous broadband networking chip ‘VIHAAN’, built using India’s VEGA microprocessor. The milestone, backed by the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme, positions VIHAAN for production tape-out in 2027 and strengthens India’s domestic semiconductor ecosystem.

The Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme is empowering Indian startups to design semiconductors for diverse strategic and commercial uses. Applications span satellite communications, drones, surveillance systems, defence and aerospace platforms, automotive electronics, IoT devices, LED drivers, AI solutions, telecom infrastructure, and smart meters.

Aheesa Digital Innovations, an Indian fabless semiconductor startup, develops chips for broadband networking and security. Its flagship SoC ‘VIHAAN’, purpose‑built for fibre broadband, was taped out on Republic Day and achieved first‑pass silicon success on Independence Day 2026. The chip now advances toward production tape‑out, targeted for 2027.

Key Highlights

• Startup: Aheesa Digital Innovations (Chennai-based, fabless semiconductor firm)
• Chip: VIHAAN – broadband networking System-on-Chip (SoC)
• Processor Core: Built on VEGA microprocessor (RISC-V architecture, developed by C-DAC under MeitY)
• Milestone: Taped out on Republic Day 2026, achieved first-pass silicon success on Independence Day 2026
• Target: Production tape-out scheduled for 2027
• Funding: Raised ₹40 crore earlier in 2026 from TNIFMC via TNESSF and private investors
• Applications: Designed for fiber broadband networks, enabling last-mile connectivity for homes and offices

Technical & Strategic Significance

Feature	Details
Architecture	RISC-V based VEGA processor core
Process Node	28nm broadband networking SoC
Functions	Integrates compute, broadband access, and system control
Target Use	Optical fiber access networks, telecom operators
Strategic Value	Reduces reliance on foreign chip designs; supports Atmanirbhar Bharat goals
Ecosystem Impact	Part of >30 chip tape-outs under DLI Scheme; contributes to India’s $100M+ VC-backed semiconductor design growth

Broader Context

• DLI Scheme Impact: Over 30 chip design tape-outs achieved across foundries; startups raised $100M+ venture capital
• Government Support: Chip-design tools provided to 455 organizations (350 academic institutions + 105 startups)
• C2S Programme: 245 chip designs taped out by 71 academic institutions, building skilled manpower for India’s semiconductor future

Challenges & Trade-offs

• Production Timeline: Commercial rollout only expected post-2027, leaving a gap before market adoption
• Global Competition: Competing against established players (ARM, Intel, Broadcom) with mature ecosystems
• Scaling Risks: Transition from prototype to mass production requires robust fabrication partnerships and supply chain resilience

Takeaway

The VIHAAN chip marks a strategic leap for India’s semiconductor ambitions. By combining indigenous design (VEGA) with government-backed funding (DLI Scheme), Aheesa Digital Innovations is helping India reduce dependence on foreign chipmakers and strengthen its digital infrastructure for broadband and 5G expansion.