Dhruv64: India’s First Homegrown 64-Bit Dual-Core Microprocessor Unveiled

Highlights

• The chipset was developed by C-DAC, which is under MeitY
• Dhruv64 was built under the Microprocessor Development Programme (MDP)
• It will strengthen the country’s domestic semiconductor pipeline

Dhruv64, a 1.0 GHz, 64-bit dual-core microprocessor, was unveiled on Monday as India's first homegrown chip. The fully-indigenous CPU was developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) under the Microprocessor Development Programme (MDP). It was introduced under the Digital India RISC-V (DIR-V) initiative, which supports chip design, testing and prototyping using the open-source RISC-V architecture. Dhruv64 is designed to power a wide range of electronic devices, including industrial systems and connected gadgets. The development strengthens the country's ability to build processors domestically, reducing reliance on imports.

Dhruv64: Features and Details

A microprocessor is essentially the brain of any electronic system, whether a smartphone, computer, medical device, industrial controller, or Internet of Things (IoT) device. It executes instructions that make software run and hardware work. For instance, in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 SoC, the custom-built Qualcomm Oryon CPU is the microprocessor.

Dhruv64 is built using the RISC-V architecture, which is an open, royalty-free set of computer instructions that designers can use without licensing fees. That contrasts with many traditional processor designs that require expensive licences. RISC-V's openness makes it easier for Indian researchers, startups and companies to collaborate, experiment and innovate with chip designs. The microprocessor has a 1.0GHz clock speed and a 64-bit dual-core architecture. The diversity and reliability of the design make it suitable for 5G infrastructure, automotive systems, consumer electronics, industrial automation, and more.

Most countries import the bulk of their microprocessors. India consumes about 20 percent of the world's microprocessors but has historically manufactured only a tiny fraction of them. Having a homegrown design like Dhruv64 means reducing this dependency and creating an ecosystem where companies, academics and startups can prototype and scale new computing products at lower costs. It is also a security-wise safer option to use an indigenous chip for critical infrastructure, such as defence tech.

Dhruv64 is part of a larger roadmap that includes earlier India-designed processors like Thejas32 and Thejas64, as well as Dhanush and Dhanush+, which are currently under development.

Notably, several national programmes currently support indigenous chip design. These include DIR-V, the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), Chips to Startup (C2S) programme, Design Linked Incentive (DLI), and the Indian Nanoelectronics Users Programme- idea to innovation (INUP-i2i) initiative.