India Achieves Major Milestone in Semiconductor Industry
In an exciting development for India’s tech sector, Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the country has successfully created a telecom system using only domestically-made chips. This new system has received official certification from the Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), marking a big step forward for India’s semiconductor industry.
Minister Vaishnaw shared this news on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), calling it a “big leap” for India’s semiconductor story. He explained, “A telecom system running on ‘Made in India’ chips has cleared all standards and quality tests (TEC certification).” This certification ensures that telecom equipment meets strict safety and performance standards set by the Department of Telecommunications.
This achievement is important because it puts India’s local chips on par with international counterparts. It also opens up new opportunities for exporting Indian-made semiconductors, boosting the country’s position in the global tech market.
Reducing dependence on imported chips has been a major goal for India, especially after recent global shortages that disrupted supply chains. Experts say India’s focus on designing, testing, and manufacturing chips locally is helping to fill supply gaps and strengthen the industry.
While countries like Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, China, and the US currently dominate the global semiconductor market, India is working hard to build its own capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains. The recent certification is seen as a proof of India’s growing semiconductor strength.
Additionally, global leaders like ASML Holding NV, a top semiconductor equipment maker, plan to partner more closely with Indian businesses in the coming year. This collaboration can help further boost India’s semiconductor manufacturing and technology development.
Since 2021, the Indian government has been actively supporting the semiconductor sector through the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM). The initiative includes a Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme worth Rs 76,000 crore to encourage local chip design and manufacturing. Several major projects under this scheme are already underway, including Tata Electronics’ Rs 91,000 crore fab in Dholera, Micron’s Rs 22,516 crore packaging plant in Sanand, and CG Power’s new OSAT pilot line that started operations in August.
India is focusing on more mature chip nodes in the 28nm to 65nm range, which are crucial for telecom, automotive, and industrial applications. The Indian semiconductor market was valued at $38 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow to $45-50 billion in 2024-25. By 2030, experts predict India’s semiconductor market could reach $100-110 billion, while the global market aims to hit $1 trillion by then.
This progress shows India’s commitment to becoming a major player in the global semiconductor industry and reducing dependence on imports. It’s a step toward strengthening India’s tech ecosystem and creating new opportunities for local manufacturers and innovators.
