Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, announced a significant milestone in India’s semiconductor ambitions with the unveiling of Qualcomm’s 2-nanometre chip, demonstrated during an event in Bangalore on 7 February.

He framed this development as a decisive shift in India’s role from a back-office location to a comprehensive hub capable of end-to-end semiconductor product development, spanning customer product definition through to final silicon design, tape-out and validation.

Vaishnaw highlighted that the wafer he displayed contains dies with an estimated 20 to 30 billion transistors, describing the device as comprising a single chip with both GPU and CPU capabilities.

He emphasised the practical applications of such a silicon module, noting its potential presence in desktop AI systems, edge devices, cameras, Wi‑Fi routers, and a range of machines including cars, trains, aeroplanes and other moving platforms.

The minister painted a vision of a future where these advanced chips power a broad spectrum of everyday technologies, embedded at the edge rather than solely in central data centres.

In his remarks, Vaishnaw drew attention to India’s progress under the SEMICON mission, noting that the country has already trained 67,000 semiconductor engineers over four years. He said that semiconductor design tools are currently available across 315 universities and colleges, enabling students to design chips and participate in the validation process.

He asserted that this level of infrastructure and capability is rare globally, and he referred to India’s Davos engagement as evidence that international industry leaders view the model favourably.

Looking ahead, the minister connected this achievement to broader policy aims outlined in Budget 2026, which includes the second edition of the India Semiconductor Mission (India SEMICON Mission 2.0).

Vaishnaw explained that SEMICON 2.0 will prioritise indigenous chip design and attract ecosystem partners to strengthen India’s semiconductor ecosystem.

He stressed that the focus would be on nurturing design companies and start-ups capable of delivering market-ready products, with the ultimate objective of fostering home-grown innovation that could produce firms akin to Qualcomm or other leading global players.

Vaishnaw’s comments align with the government’s vision of moving up the semiconductor value chain, moving beyond assembly and back-office work to include cutting-edge design and production within India.

He cited AMD and Qualcomm as instances of foreign firms achieving end-to-end product development in the country, framing these cases as proof of the ecosystem’s maturing capabilities. The government’s aspiration is to accelerate this trajectory, catalysing domestic design capabilities and attracting international partners to create a robust, self-reliant semiconductor sector.

The narrative positions India as a developing centre for high-precision manufacturing and advanced electronics, with the 2-nanometre chip serving as a tangible symbol of progress. It also places emphasis on the scale of talent development and academic access to industry-grade design tools as critical enablers for sustaining long-term growth in the sector.

By prioritising domestic design activity and encouraging global companies to co-create and manufacture in India, the plan seeks to reduce dependency on overseas supply chains while expanding domestic innovation and employment opportunities.

Based On PTI Report