DHRUV64: India’s First Indigenous Microprocessor

Dhruv64: India’s First Indigenous Microprocessor

December 17, 2025

Kamaraj IAS Academy

Prelims Plus

Subject: GS Paper III (Science and Technology) UPSC Relevance: Indigenization of technology and Semiconductor Mission.

The Developer: Developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) under the Digital India RISC-V (DIR-V) program.
Technical Specifications: It is a 64-bit multi-core processor. Unlike commercial chips from Intel or AMD, it is based on the RISC-V architecture, which is open-source and royalty-free.
Why Indigenization Matters:
Strategic Security: Imported chips can have "Silicon Backdoors" that allow foreign entities to shut down power grids or defense systems. DHRUV64 ensures "Trusted Hardware."
Economic Value: India spends billions on chip imports. Indigenous design allows for "Fabless Manufacturing" where India owns the Intellectual Property (IP).
Applications: Specifically designed for High-Performance Computing (HPC), secure servers, and data centers. It supports the "AI for All" mission by providing the hardware necessary for localized AI processing.