ISRO & IIT-Madras developed  Indigenous RISCV Controller for Space Applications (IRIS)

ISRO Chairman V Narayanan has called for a significant reduction in India's dependence on imported electronic components and urged the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to develop a roadmap to bring electronics imports down to less than 10% within the next five years.

Speaking at the Nano Electronics Roadshow at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc)-Bangalore, Narayanan emphasized the importance of fostering indigenous manufacturing capabilities in the electronics sector.

He highlighted that while 90% of components in ISRO's launch vehicles are indigenously produced, the remaining 10%—primarily electronic parts—are still imported.

Narayanan shared an example from his tenure as Director of ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), where 32 out of 34 sensors used for monitoring critical parameters were initially imported. He implemented a policy to phase out imports within a year, leading to the successful development of all 32 sensors domestically, which are now ready for technology transfer.

Narayanan expressed optimism that India could drastically reduce its reliance on imported electronics within the next 10 to 15 years. He also underscored the critical role of nanotechnology in space applications, stating that advancements in this field are essential for future space missions.

His remarks come amid broader concerns about India's limited electronics manufacturing ecosystem, which has historically relied heavily on imports for high-quality components needed in sectors like space exploration and consumer electronics.

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