India's Progression Towards a self-sufficient Semiconductor Nation by 2025, according to PM Modi

The fourth edition of Semicon India, a conference aimed at strengthening India's semiconductor ecosystem, took place in New Delhi. The event, hosted by Siddharth Chauhan, attracted industry leaders from across the globe, who addressed the gathering and viewed India as having great potential.

In his address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to semiconductors as "digital diamonds" of the 21st century, emphasising their importance in the digital age. He expressed India's ambition to play an important role in the $1 trillion market share.

One of the significant highlights of the conference was the presentation of the first 'Made in India' Chips. The Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw presented the Prime Minister with the Vikram 32-bit processor, a testament to India's growing capabilities in the semiconductor industry.

The India Deep Tech Alliance, a group of members who have collectively made over $1 billion in total capital commitment, was launched at the conference. The alliance aims to mobilise private capital and expertise to build category-defining deep tech companies from India.

Tokyo Electron, a semiconductor manufacturing equipment company, announced its intention to contribute to India's semiconductor industry and realise "Make in India" through its expertise. Similarly, Infineon Technologies sees India as rapidly emerging as a hub for semiconductor innovation and plans to be a driving force in its rapidly growing semiconductor ecosystem.

AMD considers India an integral part of its global development, with engineering talent in India touching every one of its products. Applied Materials also sees India as having an essential role in making more powerful and more energy-efficient semiconductors possible. Lam Research has enrolled more than 60 universities in collaboration with the India Semiconductor Mission with a goal of training 60,000 engineers over 10 years.

Merck is dedicated to supporting India's growth by leveraging its expertise and know-how in material production for computer chip production. Christophe Fouquet, CEO of ASML, also sees India as a partner with great potential.

The semiconductor industry in India is growing at a rapid pace. By 2023, India's first semiconductor plant was approved, and by 2025, five more semiconductor projects were cleared, totaling $18 billion investment in 10 projects. Construction of five semiconductor units is ongoing, and two more units are expected to start production in a few months.

The conference also highlighted the efforts of the Indian government and the industry in nurturing talent. Over 60,000 engineering students have worked on EDA tools for more than 13 million hours. Seventeen student teams have designed chips and had them presented to the Prime Minister.

The global market of semiconductors is reaching $600 billion and is expected to reach $1 trillion in the near future. With India's ambitious plans and the support of global leaders, the country is moving from a back-end hub to a "full-stack semiconductor nation". The three-day conference aims to strengthen India's semiconductor ecosystem and highlight its growing role in the global supply chain.