DRDO’s New GaN Technology: India has taken a major step in advanced defence electronics with the development of indigenous Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductor technology by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The Ministry of Defence’s Annual Report for FY 2025-26 says the technology has been successfully demonstrated and implemented for high-frequency defence systems.
The work is important because GaN components are used in systems that need high power and very fast signals. These include modern radars, electronic warfare equipment, military communications, surveillance systems and unmanned platforms.
DRDO’s Indigenous GaN Chip Packs High Power
One of the biggest parts of the development is a very small GaN chip. According to the Ministry of Defence report, the chip measures only 3.5 x 3 mm. Still, it can deliver up to 30 watts of power and operate at speeds 300 times faster than silicon.
The report also says indigenous Gallium Nitride Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) technology has been successfully demonstrated and implemented for applications up to the X-band. DRDO has also developed S-band GaN components such as power bars, power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers and switch MMICs.
These parts are useful because radar and electronic warfare systems need to send, receive and control high-frequency signals very quickly. A smaller and powerful semiconductor can also help reduce the size and weight of defence equipment.
Why GaN Is Important For Defence
GaN is a compound semiconductor that can work at high power and high frequencies. Compared with normal silicon technology, GaN-based systems can offer better efficiency and high power density. They can also help reduce the size of electronic systems.
This makes GaN useful for:
- Next-generation radar transmitters
- Electronic warfare jammers
- Military communication systems
- Intelligence and surveillance equipment
- Unmanned platforms
- Aerospace and space systems
DRDO’s earlier work also shows the wider progress in this field. Its Solid State Physics Laboratory (SSPL) has developed processes for making 4-inch Silicon Carbide (SiC) wafers and fabricating GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) up to 150 watts. It has also developed GaN MMICs up to 40 watts for applications up to X-band frequencies.
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The latest work comes from years of research at DRDO’s Solid State Physics Laboratory. SSPL has developed the processes needed for GaN HEMT fabrication and has worked on devices for different frequency bands. DRDO has also listed GaN HEMT-based MMIC technology among its electronic-device technologies.
A limited production facility for indigenous GaN-on-SiC MMICs has also been established at the Gallium Arsenide Enabling Technology Centre (GAETEC) in Hyderabad. These multifunctional chips can be used in strategic defence systems, aerospace and space technologies as well as 5G and satellite communications.
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The development also has support from the private sector. In December 2023, iDEX-DIO signed its 300th contract with Agnit Semiconductors Private Limited for the design and development of advanced GaN semiconductors for defence applications. The Ministry said at that time that most GaN components were being imported because the technology is sensitive and export-controlled in many countries.
