India's Shakti processor developed by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, and Vega microprocessor, developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), have demonstrated equivalent performance to global counterparts, as asserted by V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras in a recent discussion with Digitimes Asia. According to Kamakoti, these processors operate at a level comparable to what was prevalent two to three years ago, representing a substantial leap in the country's technological aspirations, bolstered by government incentives and subsidies to the sector.
The competitiveness of the processors is contingent on various factors including the specific silicon and Process Development Kit (PDK) used. Kamakoti highlighted that their performance closely matches or even surpasses contemporary microprocessors, as evidenced by benchmarks like CoreMark, which is commonly used for evaluating embedded systems. This instills a high level of confidence in their competitive standing.
Several Indian startups are now integrating Shakti into various applications, such as security and SoC development, underscoring the flexibility and adaptability of the architecture to specific requirements. This includes collaborations with companies like Mindgrove Technologies and InCore Semiconductors. Kamakoti also mentioned ongoing efforts to incorporate these processors into existing IoT and other solutions.
The progress from skepticism to active engagement with various entities reflects the significance of tangible results, underlining the emphasis on internal development and execution to build trust and showcase their capacity to innovate without external intervention.
The evolutionary trajectory of the Shakti project aimed to explore and establish a sustainable processor development ecosystem in India, covering every aspect from the initial instruction set architecture (ISA) to design, backend processing, manufacturing, packaging, and support for board and processor booting processes. From 2013 to 2017, the project involved numerous unfunded initiatives, primarily managed by students, with a commitment to the RISC-V architecture which eventually secured initial funding for the design and development of three chips.
Subsequently, these processors, classified into C and E classes, underwent successful manufacturing and testing, excelling in running Linux and various software applications. The collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) led to the launch of the Swadeshi Microprocessor Challenge, aimed at fostering a robust ecosystem within the country, particularly focused on startups, with the goal of producing products that could be globally influential across various industries. This initiative attracted over 10,000 participants, showcasing the versatility and potential applications of these indigenously developed processors.
Source: https://www.digitimes.com/news/a20240331VL200/india-microprocessors-development-indian-institute-of-technology.html
