India’s first telecom system with indigenous chips gets TEC certification: IT minister Vaishnaw

NEW DELHI: In a major breakthrough for India’s semiconductor targets, a telecom system powered by domestically manufactured chips has received the TEC (Telecommunication Engineering Center) certification.

The announcement was made via an X post by IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who hailed the achievement as a “big leap for India’s semiconductor story”. “Big leap for India’s semiconductor story! In a first, a telecom system running on ‘made in India’ chips has cleared the standards & quality tests (TEC certification),” the post added.

The TEC certification is an official approval issued by India’s Telecommunication Engineering Center, which operates under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications.

Big leap for India’s semiconductor story!

In a first, a telecom system running on ‘made in India’ chips has cleared the standards & quality tests (TEC certification). pic.twitter.com/tFQLF04Ool

— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) September 5, 2025

The TEC certification confirms that the system has met stringent quality and performance standards, marking a critical step forward in India’s drive for technological self-reliance under the ‘Make in India’ initiative. This milestone not only showcases India’s growing capabilities in semiconductor design and fabrication but also positions the country as a credible player in the global telecom and electronics ecosystem.

While India is yet to make significant headway in setting up advanced semiconductor fabs, its broader chip-making ambitions are beginning to take shape with a sharp strategic focus on mature-node manufacturing. Targeting the 28nm-65nm range, India aims to cater to the growing demand in sectors such as automotive, telecom and industrial electronics.

In a detailed analysis, Bastion Research observed that, unlike the global race for cutting-edge nodes, India is positioning itself to fill a critical gap in the global supply chain by producing essential, widely used chips.

The report highlighted that the country is already delivering world-class, high-quality integration services. What sets India apart is its ability to match global standards, both in capability and talent, and its swift progression towards scaling these operations to meet the growing demand for advanced semiconductor-based solutions, the report added. (ANI)