Can India achieve tech sovereignty with these new photonic tools?

The Essentials

• IIT Madras introduces the Silicon Photonics Process Design Kit and a universal test engine for photonic integrated circuits.
• These tools are available to Indian startups, academic institutions and defence researchers to foster local innovation.
• Local researchers can now design and test high-speed optical circuits without depending entirely on international facilities.

The Pulse

India is establishing its own infrastructure for photonic chip development through a new shared national facility at IIT Madras. The Silicon Photonics Process Design Kit (PDK) provides a library of over 50 verified components, allowing Indian engineers to build high-speed circuits for data centres and telecommunications. This move addresses the growing need for indigenous semiconductor solutions in a market traditionally reliant on imported design tools.

What is the Silicon Photonics PDK in India? It is a standardised set of design rules and verified building blocks that allow local startups and researchers to create reliable photonic integrated circuits. By using these tools, Indian companies can ensure their designs are compatible with manufacturing processes at global foundries.

A universal test engine also simplifies the characterisation of these chips, which is a critical step before they enter mass production. Starting in the third quarter of this financial year, the centre plans to offer fabrication runs alongside packaging and testing services. This integrated approach helps bridge the gap between initial research and final product manufacturing within the country.

The Snapshot

The Big Picture

The global semiconductor industry is shifting towards integrated photonics to overcome the speed limitations of traditional electronic chips. While global giants like Intel and TSMC lead this space, India is carving its own niche through the India Semiconductor Mission. This local development represents a strategic pivot towards technology sovereignty, ensuring that Indian firms have the tools to compete in the high-growth quantum and classical computing sectors. It moves the conversation from simple assembly to high-value chip design and verification on home soil.

The Inside Intel

The IIT Madras facility operates on a unique Product Research, Development and Manufacturing (PRDM) model. Instead of just conducting theoretical research, the centre links directly with SilTerra in Malaysia for fabrication and izmo Microsystems in Bengaluru for packaging. This end-to-end pipeline ensures that a chip designed in Chennai can be fully tested and packaged within a coordinated, professional supply chain.

The UDHQ Take

Unbox Daily HQ views this as a vital step for India’s high-tech ambitions rather than just another academic milestone. For years, Indian hardware startups faced high barriers to entry due to the cost and complexity of accessing international design kits. By providing a verified library of 50 components, this facility lowers the threshold for innovation. It is a practical, middle-class approach to deep-tech: sharing expensive resources to help everyone grow.

While it may not impact the average smartphone user tomorrow, it lays the groundwork for faster, more efficient Indian data centres and communication networks. The focus on a shared national facility ensures that even smaller players can experiment without needing massive capital. This is true value for money for the Indian R&D community, turning theoretical designs into tangible hardware.

Best for: Hardware engineers and deep-tech founders in India who need a cost-effective way to prototype and test photonic integrated circuits.

Who Is This For: Perfect for 22–45 year old researchers and tech entrepreneurs in Bengaluru, Chennai and other tech hubs who require verified semiconductor design tools for local manufacturing.

The Checkout

CoE-CPPICS IIT Madras

The Source

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology | IIT Madras