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Indian Army unveils first chip-based, made-in-India 4G base station by Signaltron
Industry News- Jul 01,24
The majority of the base stations deployed in India are not made in India.
The Indian Army has recently integrated its first indigenous chip-based 4G mobile base station procured from Signaltron, a Bangalore-based firm, through the government e-marketplace portal, according to a senior company official.
Signaltron's founder, Himamshu Khasnis, highlighted that the Sahyadri LTE base stations utilise chips developed by Signalchip, marking a significant milestone in utilising Indian-developed chips for advanced communication technology within the military. Established in 2010, Signalchip focuses on developing chips for 4G and 5G networks.
"This deployment represents the first instance of an Indian system leveraging domestic chips for complex communication technologies being adopted by the military," Khasnis emphasised. "Utilising indigenous chips provides a heightened level of control over system security during operations."
Khasnis noted that the Indian Army had initiated a bid on GeM (Government e-Marketplace) for a 4G LTE Network In a Box (NIB) solution last year, which Signaltron successfully secured with its Sahyadri NIB proposal following rigorous technical evaluations. The solution, weighing only 7 kgs, delivers secure wireless communication supporting audio, video, and data applications.
"The Sahyadri NIB operates both in standalone and cellular modes and integrates seamlessly with existing analogue and IP telephony systems," Khasnis added.
Highlighting the strategic importance, Khasnis pointed out that most deployed base stations in India, even those produced domestically, lack indigenous chips, a critical component of modern electronic equipment.
Signaltron has initially supplied 20 units to the army, with deployment decisions based on strategic requirements for mobile and adaptable placement.
Currently, India lacks fabrication facilities for modern semiconductor chips, similar to leading global semiconductor firms like Nvidia and Qualcomm. Signalchip collaborates with third-party wafer fabs for chip production.
Khasnis projected that the Indian base station market could reach USD 24 billion by 2029, emphasising potential savings in foreign exchange and GDP growth through indigenous solutions. He anticipates substantial opportunities in sectors like defence and railways, aligning with modernisation objectives.
"The global CNPN (Captive Network-Private Network) 4G/5G market is anticipated to exceed $30 billion by 2030, offering significant prospects for local chip-based base stations and economies of scale," Khasnis concluded.
(Source: PTI & The New Indian Express)
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