Can India build globally competitive deep-tech products? Manivannan Subramaniam of CIYES Systems believes it can. In this interview with EFY’s Nitisha Dubey, he discusses the company’s indigenous innovations, product strategy, manufacturing capabilities and future growth plans.
Q. Can you introduce CIYES Systems and explain its relationship with Caliber Interconnect Systems?
A. CIYES Systems is a spin-off company from Caliber Interconnects. Caliber Interconnects provides post-silicon engineering services including integrated circuit (IC) packaging design, electrical simulation and semiconductor engineering services for leading global companies such as Nvidia, Intel, Cisco and others.
Building on this strong semiconductor foundation, CIYES Systems focuses on end-to-end product engineering services and our in-house products covering hardware development, embedded software, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, power electronics and complete product development activities. While Calibre specialises in silicon design and testing, CIYES Systems develops complete products and technology solutions based on those silicon technologies and provides electronics manufacturing services (EMS).
Q. Could you highlight some of CIYES Systems’ key products and their applications?
A. At CIYES Systems, we have developed a diverse portfolio of indigenous technology products including the remote diagnostic and predictive maintenance system (RDPMS), autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), the AI-powered Kenvision video analytics platform, FPGA cards, MAXPRAN critical-care ventilators, electric vehicle (EV) chargers from 3.3kW to 320kW and many power electronics solutions like grid inverters, solar inverters, power supplies and regulators. RDPMS is an internet-of-things (IoT)-based solution for Indian Railways that uses sensors, artificial intelligence and machine learning to remotely monitor signalling equipment to predict failures and enable proactive maintenance, improving railway safety and reliability.
We also develop service, forklift and tugger AMRs for industrial automation, while Kenvision transforms closed-circuit television (CCTV) feeds into intelligent analytics for enhanced safety and operational efficiency. Field programmable gate array (FPGA) cards are used for signal processing for different applications. MAXPRAN is an intensive care unit (ICU) critical care medical ventilator developed with nearly 90 per cent indigenous content, providing reliable critical-care respiratory support while advancing India’s self-reliance in medical technology.
Q. What products have been developed for the electric vehicle sector?
A. We are developing both AC and DC EV chargers covering a power range from 3.3kW to 320kW.. We have also developed 30kW and 60kW DC fast chargers that have received automotive research association of India (ARAI) certification, while 120kW chargers are currently under testing. In addition to the domestic market, we are exploring export opportunities to USA, Europe and African countries.
Q. Which products have already been commercialised?
A. We have successfully commercialised EV chargers and a wearable voltage detector that alerts personnel whenever they approach high-voltage power lines, thereby enhancing safety in high-risk working environments.
Another commercially successful product is an inverter system developed for railway heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) applications in air-conditioning coaches and heavy trucks, with around 2000-plus units already supplied and deployed. We also sold a ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE)-certified solar pump controller in the Indian market. In addition, Several other products are expected to enter the market over the coming months.
Q. Who are your target customers?
A. We serve a wide range of customers, including government organisations, public sector enterprises, private industries, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and technology companies. Our solutions cater to sectors such as railways, telecom, healthcare, defence, manufacturing, renewable energy, EVs and industrial automation.
Q. Which industries currently represent the biggest business opportunities for CIYES Systems?
A. The strongest demand currently comes from three sectors. The first is advanced manufacturing and Industry 4.0, where customers require industrial automation, robotics, AI vision systems and smart factory solutions. The second is clean energy and electric mobility, driven by the growing adoption of EV charging infrastructure, renewable energy systems and intelligent power electronics. The third is defence, railways and strategic electronics, where India is increasingly focusing on indigenous technology development and self-reliance. We also develop silicon and FPGA IPs for different applications with hardware solutions.
Q. What differentiates CIYES Systems from its competitors?
A. CIYES Systems’ key differentiation is its ability to integrate product engineering, embedded hardware, firmware, AI, power electronics, robotics, mechanical design, testing, manufacturing (EMS), certification support and field deployment within one engineering ecosystem. Many companies are strong in one part of the value chain – software, electronics design, manufacturing or deployment. We are building the capability to own the complete product journey, from concept to field performance. This end-to-end approach helps reduce gaps between design intent, manufacturing practicality and customer use-case requirements.
Another important differentiator is our practical engineering approach. Products are designed keeping Indian and global field conditions in mind, including temperature variations, dust, power fluctuations, duty cycle, maintenance access, cost sensitivity and long-term serviceability. In my experience, designing for real-world operating conditions is what transforms a working prototype into a reliable, production-ready product.
Q. Is CIYES Systems focused more on products or engineering services?
A. CIYES Systems is primarily focused on products, including design, development, qualification, manufacturing, deployment and lifecycle support. The product focus gives CIYES better scalability, stronger ownership of technology, and the ability to continuously improve products based on field feedback. We also provide engineering services as a part of our offerings.
Q. Does CIYES Systems customise products according to customer requirements?
A. Yes. Some of the company’s projects are customer-specific and developed according to individual requirements. While products such as EV chargers and ventilators are internally developed to global standards, projects for customers such as Indian Railways, defence, and semiconductor companies are customised to meet specific operational needs.
Q. How does the company plan to expand manufacturing as demand increases?
A. Currently, we operate one surface mount device (SMD) production line. As product volumes increase, we plan to invest in additional surface mount technology (SMT) lines, precision manufacturing of critical components and testing facilities to support larger-scale manufacturing and improve production capacity.
Q. What role does research and development play in the company’s long-term strategy?
A. Research and development are central to the company’s growth strategy. CIYES Systems is investing in modular robotics platforms, edge AI, intelligent video analytics, advanced power electronics, renewable energy systems and next-generation EV charging technologies. We also focus on integrating multiple technologies into unified products that combine hardware, embedded software, artificial intelligence, cloud connectivity and lifecycle support.
Q. Does CIYES Systems manufacture its products internally?
A. Yes. We perform printed circuit board (PCB) assembly, testing, box-build integration and complete product assembly using our own EMS facility. While certain specialised components, such as sensors and valves, are imported when unavailable in India, we aim to maximise indigenous sourcing wherever possible.
Q. How does CIYES Systems manage supply chain challenges?
A. We have a dedicated supply chain team that identifies long lead-time components during the product design stage. Orders for such components are placed well in advance so that all materials are available when production begins. This proactive planning has helped us avoid major supply chain disruptions.
Q. What is the current workforce strength of CIYES Systems?
A. We have more than 500 engineers working in design and development across different technology domains. We employ experienced professionals as well as fresh engineering graduates and actively recruit from colleges through campus hiring and partnerships with educational institutions.
Q. What qualities does CIYES Systems look for while hiring engineers?
A. We primarily focus on technical competency relevant to a product portfolio. Since we develop products across artificial intelligence, robotics, embedded systems, electronics and power electronics, candidates are selected based on their technical skills. At the same time, the organisation strongly supports hiring fresh graduates and training them to become skilled engineers.
Q. What are the future growth plans of CIYES Systems?
A. We want to build globally competitive deep-tech products from India. We are planning to expand our product portfolio in industrial automation, renewable energy, EV charging infrastructure, smart grid technologies, railway electronics and intelligent manufacturing. We also aim to strengthen our manufacturing capabilities, introduce more indigenous products and develop globally competitive technology platforms built on our end-to-end engineering expertise.
