Context: Recently, Ministry of State for Electronics and Information Technology has launched Digital India RISC-V Microprocessor (DIR-V) Program.
About RISC-V (DIR-V)

• RISC-V is a free and open Instruction Set Architecture (ISA).
• Aim: To enable creation of Microprocessors for the future in India, for the world and achieve industry-grade silicon & Design wins by December 2023.
• Objective- to make India not only a RISC-V Talent Hub for the World but also supplier of RISC-V SoC (System on Chips) for Servers, Mobile devices, Automotive, IoT & Microcontrollers across the globe.
• It does not have licensing encumbrances and thus can be adopted by all in semiconductor industry.
• IIT Madras and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) have developed two microprocessors named Shakti (32 bit) and Vega (64 bit) respectively using Open-Source Architecture under the aegis of the Microprocessor Development Programme.
• Significance: DIR-V will promote partnerships between Startups, Academia & Multinationals to make India a RISC-V Talent Hub for the World and a supplier of RISC-V SoC (System on Chips) for Servers, Mobile devices, Automotive, IoT & Microcontrollers across the globe.