Introduction
In modern joint warfare, dominance in the electromagnetic spectrum relies on Gallium Nitride (GaN) compound semiconductors, which form the core technology behind advanced active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars and electronic warfare systems.1 The Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) achievement in designing and pilot-fabricating indigenous GaN Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMICs) marks a major milestone towards the tactical self-reliance of the Indian Air Force (IAF).2 It was partly born of necessity during the 2016 Rafale fighter jet negotiations when France reportedly refused to share GaN chip technology under the offset clause, citing the Wassenaar Arrangement.3 That denial catalysed what seven years of sustained research finally delivered India’s emergence as one of the seven nations capable of independently producing GaN semiconductors, alongside the United States, France, Russia, Germany, South Korea, and China.4
