Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Launches One VEGA-based SoC & Two DIR V VEGA processor based Development Boards in Maharashtra

In January 2025, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) launched one VEGA-based System on-Chip (SoC) named THEJAS64 and two DIR V VEGA processor based development boards, Artificial Intelligence for Environment & Sustainability (ARIES) ECO and ARIES NOVA at an event held at Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) campus in Pune, Maharashtra.

• These are designed and developed by C-DAC, as part of the Government of India (GoI)’s Digital India RISC-V Microprocessor (DIR-V) program.
• While addressing the event, the Union Minister highlighted that Computing and technological advancement is a core building block for India to become a developed nation by 2047.

Key People:

i.Krishnan, Secretary of the MeitY; Smt Sunita Verma, Group Co-ordinator (R&D), MeitY; E Magesh, Director General(DG) of C-DAC and Sanjay Wandhekar, Centre Head of C-DAC Pune along with and other senior officials

Launched Products:

i.THEJAS64 SoC ASIC: Fabricated at the Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL), Chandigarh(Punjab), this 64-bit single-core chip.

• It is India’s 1st fully indigenous 64-bit VEGA based SoC. It is mainly designed for robust and secure embedded applications.
• It highlights India’s self-reliance in advanced microprocessor technology, offering robust solutions for embedded and industrial applications.

ii.ARIES NOVA Development Board: Designed for Internet of Things(IoT), wearable devices, and robotics, this compact, breadboard-friendly hardware platform is powered by the VEGA ET1031 microprocessor. It offers an affordable and versatile option for developers and innovators.

• It provides an easily accessible platform for education, research, and development in the field of embedded systems.

iii.ARIES ECO Development Board: A cost-effective platform tailored for embedded systems enthusiasts, it features multiple communication interfaces and GPIOs, supporting standalone operation with various power options.

• It is useful to students, facilitates a hands-on-platform for experimenting with applications like sensor fusion, smart meters, and wearable devices.

About DIR-V Program:

i.In April 2022, GoI launched the DIR-V program, which aimed to develop future generations of microprocessors to achieve India’s strategic priorities of mobility, computing, and digitization.

• Key Target: To commercialise India’s 1st indigenous chipsets by 2023-24.

ii.The program is part of the GoI’s Semicon India programme, which has a budget of Rs 76,000 crore to enhance India’s semiconductor and display manufacturing ecosystem.

VEGA Series:

i.The series include 32 bit or 64 bit single/dual/quad core superscalar Out-of-Order high performance processor cores based on Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC-V) architecture.

ii.The open-source RISC-V architecture provides flexibility and innovation and promotes hands-on learning and development in embedded systems.

About Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC):
It is one of the premier institutions in India, which works under the MeitY.
Director General (DG)-  Magesh Ethirajan
Headquarters- Pune, Maharashtra
Established- 1988