India is poised to begin trials of its first indigenously developed Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) by the end of this year, marking a significant milestone in its journey towards self-reliance in critical technologies. These GPUs, designed as general-purpose GPUs (GPGPUs), hold the potential to revolutionize various sectors by providing the necessary processing power for artificial intelligence (AI) systems, data centers, and more.

The primary objective of this ambitious project is to diminish India's reliance on foreign chipmakers, including industry giants like AMD, Intel, Nvidia, and Qualcomm. By developing its own GPU technology, India aims to secure its technological future and foster innovation within the country. These homegrown GPUs are intended to power a wide array of applications, spanning from AI model training and analytics to cloud platforms, supercomputers, and critical communications infrastructure.

According to officials familiar with the matter, approximately 29 prototypes of these indigenous GPGPUs are slated for production in India by the close of 2025. Subsequently, agencies involved in the development process will meticulously analyze data pertaining to their performance, reliability, and efficiency. This thorough evaluation aims to ensure that the final product not only originates from within India but also meets the stringent global standards set by leading international manufacturers.

This initiative is spearheaded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), with active collaboration from the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) and the National e-Governance Division (NeGD). The GPGPUs are built upon an existing indigenous semiconductor architecture developed by C-DAC, leveraging open-source standards to promote accessibility and collaboration.

Following the trials, the GPGPUs will undergo further refinement before being considered for mass production and commercial scaling, tentatively scheduled for 2029. This phased approach allows for continuous improvement and optimization, ensuring that the final product is well-suited to meet the demands of the market.

The development of indigenous GPUs is a key component of the India AI Mission, which has an initial outlay of ₹10,738 crore. This mission aims to strengthen India's AI infrastructure and reduce dependence on foreign chip manufacturers. As part of this initiative, the government plans to roll out 18,000 high-end GPU-based computing facilities to boost AI research and development. Furthermore, the IndiaAI Compute Portal will provide access to over 18,000 GPUs and other AI cloud services to startups, application developers, researchers, and students.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has stated that India may have its own GPUs in the next 3-5 years. He also mentioned that the government is considering multiple approaches to achieve this goal, including leveraging open-source GPU architectures, acquiring licensed chip designs, and innovating its own GPU technology from the ground up.

The government has already invested over ₹10,000 crore into this mission, and big companies like Tata and Micron are getting involved in chip manufacturing. Recent developments include the Union Cabinet approving a semiconductor manufacturing facility by HCL and Foxconn under the India Semiconductor Mission. Additionally, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated Renesas Electronics' semiconductor design centers in Noida and Bengaluru, marking India's entry into 3nm chip development.

While the development of indigenous GPUs presents numerous opportunities, India's semiconductor industry also faces several challenges, including an underdeveloped supply chain, a lack of skilled manufacturing talent, and global competition. To overcome these hurdles, India needs to improve raw material production, skill development, and investment in research and development. Despite these challenges, the Indian semiconductor market is projected to experience significant growth, with end-demand revenues expected to double from $54 billion in 2025 to $108 billion in 2030.