Oct 31, 2025

For decades, India built the world’s digital software. Now, we're learning to build its physical heart: the semiconductor.

While nations like Taiwan and South Korea mastered chip manufacturing, India remained a spectator. The pandemic’s great chip shortage was our wake-up call—proving that software supremacy alone cannot secure digital sovereignty.

In response, India has launched its most ambitious technological mission yet. Backed by over $10 billion in incentives, the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) is a national pledge to build a complete semiconductor ecosystem from the ground up. The message to the world is clear: the future of chips will be forged in India.

The strategy is twofold:

        1.) Build the Foundation: Establishing massive fabrication plants (fabs), display manufacturing units, and packaging facilities.

        2.) Fuel the Innovators: Through the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme, over 20 Indian startups are already creating cutting-edge chips for everything from cars to satellites, attracting global venture capital and proving the commercial viability of our ambition.

But a nation’s potential is measured by its people. We are investing heavily in our human capital, forging partnerships with giants like Lam Research, IBM, and Micron, and top universities to equip a new generation of engineers with world-class skills.The path is undeniably challenging. Building a fab requires billions in investment, pristine infrastructure, and a resilient supply chain. This is a marathon, not a sprint.Yet, the prize is nothing less than India’s economic and technological future. Success means millions of high-skill jobs, a secure place in the global value chain, and true self-reliance.

This mission is our bridge from a nation that consumes technology to one that creates it at its most fundamental level. We are not just joining the race; we are building a track of our own.