L&T, C-DAC, IIT Collaborate on Indigenous Secure Chip for E-Passports

In a strategic move to enhance India’s digital sovereignty, L&T Semiconductor Technologies, the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), and the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IIT Gandhinagar) have joined forces to develop a fully indigenous secure chip designed specifically for electronic passports (e-passports).

This collaboration marks a significant step toward establishing an end-to-end Indian semiconductor ecosystem for security-sensitive applications. The partnership ensures that all intellectual property (IP) related to the chip will be retained within the country, reducing dependency on foreign technology providers and safeguarding critical national infrastructure.

The initiative will focus on the research, design, and commercialization of secure integrated circuit (IC) solutions, with an initial emphasis on e-passports — a vital component of secure identity and travel documentation. The partnership plans to create a dedicated research center, pooling expertise and resources from the three organizations to accelerate the development and deployment of this advanced technology.

Beyond e-passports, the secure IC technology developed through this collaboration aims to serve as a foundation for next-generation cryptographic products that could be deployed in a variety of embedded secure applications, including government, defense, and financial sectors.

Sandeep Kumar, Chief Executive of L&T Semiconductor Technologies, highlighted the significance of the partnership, stating, “This collaboration goes beyond a typical memorandum of understanding. It is a blueprint for how industry, academia, and government can come together to shape India’s technological future. Our goal is to deliver solutions made entirely in India — secure e-passports the world can trust. This initiative is a critical milestone in the ‘Make in India‘ mission.”

This strategic alliance underlines India’s commitment to building a robust, indigenous semiconductor infrastructure, fostering innovation, and protecting sensitive intellectual property. The project is expected to boost national security by providing reliable, homegrown secure chip technology, setting new benchmarks for global standards in secure digital identity solutions.

As this partnership advances, it will likely open new avenues for India in the secure chip market, empowering various sectors with cutting-edge cryptographic capabilities developed through domestic innovation.