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Aheesa Digital Innovations’ VIHAAN-I is a broadband-access system-on-chip built around C-DAC’s Vega RISC-V processor. It is designed for fiber-network equipment, but public accounts differ on whether it has entered production or is still approaching that milestone.
What is Aheesa VIHAAN-I?
VIHAAN-I combines computing, broadband-access functions and system control on one chip. Aheesa designed it for optical network terminals (ONTs)—the equipment at a home or office that connects an operator’s fiber network to local Ethernet or wireless networking. The operator-side device is an optical line terminal (OLT); according to Aheesa CEO Sridharan Mani, one OLT can support up to 128 optical network units.
Aheesa and coverage of the product describe VIHAAN-I as India’s first RISC-V networking SoC. The available announcements identify its Indian design and development, but do not provide an independent comparison establishing that no earlier Indian RISC-V networking chip existed. The narrower, well-supported description is a 28-nm broadband networking SoC designed in India, with UMC identified as its foundry.
“Taped out” refers to sending a completed chip design to a foundry for fabrication. It does not, by itself, mean that the chip has completed production qualification, is shipping at scale or can be purchased by the public.
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- Flexible MCU Board: Incorporate the ESP32-C3 32-bit RISC-V chip, operating up to 160 MHz, mounted multiple development ports,
- Developer Friendly: Compatible with Arduino IDE, MicroPython, CircuitPython, PlatformIO, ESP IDF, Zephyr, Matter, ESPNow, Meshtastic, WLED, ESPHome, Home Assistant, Ubidots
- Outstanding RF performance: Complete Wi-Fi functions and Bluetooth Low Energy, while supporting communication over 100m with anFL antenna
- Elaborate Power Design: 4 working modes as low as 44 μA in deep sleep mode, while supporting lithium battery charge management
- Thumb-sized Design: 21 x 17.5mm, Seeed Studio XIAO series classic form factor
What does the broadband SoC do?
Fiber access and network management
EE Times reports support for both GPON and EPON, the passive-optical-network standards used in fiber access. Reported networking functions also include Ethernet switching and routing, firewall services, VPN, DHCP and DNS. These functions are intended to put access and network-management capabilities in the ONT platform rather than requiring every function to come from a separate chip.
Aheesa says an optional 5G backhaul can provide a backup connection if the fiber link is cut. It is an option described by the company, not evidence that every VIHAAN-I product will include a 5G modem or radio; product configurations and required companion components are not specified in the cited material.
Rank #2
- CH32V003 Development Minimum System Board for Nano RISC-V CH32V003F4U6 Chip TYPE-C USB 22Pin
- on-board 24MHz Crystal oscillator
- Power by TYPE-C USB
Memory, interfaces and security
The reported interface support includes DDR4 memory, SPI NOR flash, eMMC and SD or microSD cards. Aheesa’s product information additionally presents secure boot, a hardware root of trust and encryption engines as VIHAAN capabilities. Those security features are company-described capabilities; a public security evaluation or detailed implementation report is not provided in the cited accounts.
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The processor is C-DAC’s Vega core, based on the open RISC-V instruction-set architecture. Mani says Aheesa chose an Indian-developed core in part to gain greater security visibility and control over the design stack. He also cites Linux-kernel support and newer memory and interface technologies compared with many legacy access devices, though the announcements do not specify supported kernel versions or a software compatibility matrix.
Rank #3
- The ESP32-C3 SUPERMINI is positioned as a high-performance, low-power, cost-effective IoT mini development board, suitable for low-power IoT applications and wireless wearable applications
- It is equipped with a rich set of interfaces, including 11 digital I/Os that can be used as PWM pins and 4 analog I/Os that can be used as ADC pins.
- It supports four serial interfaces, including UART, I2C, and SPI.
- The ESP32-C3 features a 32-bit RISC-V CPU, including an FPU (Floating Point Unit) capable of 32-bit single-precision
- Package: 2PCS ESP32-C3 MINI Development Board ESP32 SuperMini ESP32 C3 WiFi Module
What is known about design and validation?
EE Times reports that roughly 60% of the SoC comprises licensed standard components, including memory controllers and interface blocks. Aheesa developed the GPON/EPON implementations, network accelerators and cybersecurity functions internally, according to that report. The figure describes the reported share of standard components; it does not say that 60% of the chip area, cost or engineering work is licensed.
Aheesa told EE Times that it performed functional verification, system-level validation on FPGA platforms and interoperability testing with industry-standard OLTs, followed by public demonstrations. These are company-reported test activities. The cited coverage does not include independent lab results, benchmark tables, manufacturing yields or published test reports, so performance and reliability cannot be compared quantitatively with incumbent access chips from this evidence.
Rank #4
- ESP32-C6 WiFi 6 microcontroller development board adopts ESP32-C6-WROOM-1-N8 module, which is equipped with RISC-V 32-bit single-core processor, up to 160MHz main frequency, built-in 8MB Flash
- Integrates WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5 and and IEEE 802.15.4 (Zigbee 3.0 and Thread) wireless communication, with superior RF performance
- Integrates rich peripherals including SPI, UART, I2C, I2S, LED PWM, SDIO and other interfaces, compatible with the pinout of ESP32-C6-DevKitC-1-N8 development board, more convenient to use and expand a variety of peripheral modules
- Onboard CH343 and CH334 USB HUB chips, supports USB and UART development at the same time via a USB-C port
- Comes with online examples and tutorials for ESP-IDF development environment
When will VIHAAN-I be available?
Public statements give different signals about the commercialization stage. The Press Information Bureau (PIB) reported first-pass silicon success and a target of production tape-out in 2027. Aheesa’s media page, meanwhile, says VIHAAN-I entered production and announces a distribution partnership with Zigma Technologies for India. Those statements may reflect different milestones or publication timing, but they do not establish a clear current shipping date, volume availability or public order channel.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →| Source and timing | What it reports | What that establishes |
|---|---|---|
| PIB, Government of India, 2026 | First-pass silicon success; production tape-out targeted for 2027 | A government-reported milestone and target, not a confirmed retail launch date. |
| Aheesa media page | VIHAAN-I entered production; Zigma Technologies distribution partnership in India | A company announcement, but no specific shipping schedule, order details or volume figures in the cited material. |
The PIB also describes Aheesa as a Chennai-based fabless startup supported by the Design Linked Incentive scheme and reports about ₹40 crore raised from the Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Fund Management Corporation through the Tamil Nadu Emerging Sector Seed Fund and other private investors. These figures and status statements are reported by PIB in 2026.
Best Value
- Ample PSRAM Storage – The development board offers 8MB PSRAM, providing substantial extra memory for handling more complex tasks, large data buffers, and advanced processing.
- Enhanced Multi-Tasking Capability – With the additional 8MB PSRAM, the ESP32-C5-WIFI6-KIT can efficiently manage multiple protocol stacks simultaneously, ensuring smooth operation in multi-tasking IoT environments.
- Support for Medium-Load Applications – The 8MB PSRAM allows the ESP32-C5 to handle medium-load applications more effectively, making it ideal for scenarios requiring real-time data processing or continuous communication.
- Seamless Performance – The increased memory improves the overall performance and responsiveness of the device, particularly when running applications with larger memory footprints or more demanding computations.
- Future-Proof for Complex Projects – With 8MB of PSRAM, developers are better equipped to build scalable, high-performance solutions that support both current and future IoT use cases, offering flexibility for future-proofing designs.
Can you buy the chip or a Seshnag board?
Aheesa describes a business-to-business merchant-silicon model rather than a direct-to-consumer launch. The company says OEMs, ODMs, system integrators and distributors can license VIHAAN-I, adopt its Seshnag reference platform, or procure finished products for a market segment. White-label, licensing and royalty arrangements are also contemplated.
The cited announcements do not give a public price, retail listing, confirmed evaluation-board ordering process or availability date. For a prospective equipment maker, the relevant next step is to request the current product brief and commercial terms from Aheesa or its announced distributor; the public material does not establish that the Seshnag platform is currently available for purchase.
How should VIHAAN-I be compared with existing access chips?
The announced feature set makes VIHAAN-I relevant to OEMs evaluating GPON/EPON ONT designs, especially where integrated switching, routing and security functions or a RISC-V processor are priorities. A meaningful selection decision still requires information not present in the public accounts: like-for-like throughput and latency measurements, power consumption, supported software and protocol versions, qualification and yield data, unit pricing, supply commitments and lifecycle support.
Without those details, claims that VIHAAN-I is faster, cheaper, more secure or a direct drop-in replacement for a particular incumbent are not established. Its stated architecture and feature list describe intended capabilities, not comparative test results.
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