Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Semicon India 2023 conference at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, on July 28. During the event, he expressed his vision for India to become the next semiconductor powerhouse in Asia. To achieve this goal, PM Modi emphasised the need to revamp the engineering curriculum and foster a robust semiconductor ecosystem.

As part of this initiative, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that more than 300 prominent colleges in India have been identified where specialised courses on semiconductors will be made available. This move is expected to contribute significantly to the growth and development of the semiconductor industry in the country.

“It is estimated that in the next 5 years, more than 1 lakh design engineers are going to be produced in our country. India’s growing start-up ecosystem is also going to strengthen the semiconductor sector, ” he added.

The world has relied heavily on China for semiconductors for far too long. However, with the introduction of this initiative, India aims not only to meet its own semiconductor demands but also to emerge as a potential market leader. This move is anticipated to be a momentous turning point, not just in India’s history but also in global history. It is expected to provide a substantial boost to the ‘Make in India’ programme and significantly influence the semiconductor industry worldwide.

Dr Prabu Raja, President of the Semiconductor Product Group at Applied Materials, said that driven by Prime Minister Modi’s strong vision, India is positioned to assume a pivotal role in the global semiconductor industry.

“We firmly believe that this is India’s time to shine. No company or country can overcome challenges in the sector alone. It’s time for collaborative partnerships in this sector. This new collaborative model can allow us to be catalysts in the sector,” he emphasised.

This conference, themed ‘Catalysing India’s Semiconductor Ecosystem,’ acted as a showcase for India’s semiconductor strategy and policies. The goal of this event is to make India a global centre for semiconductor design, production, and technology development.

Many industry leaders offered their insights at the event. SEMI President and CEO Ajit Minocha called the initiative an important milestone in India’s history. He stated that a positive alignment of geopolitics, internal politics, and private sector capacities allows India to enter the semiconductor manufacturing market. He also praised Micron’s historic investment in India, which is likely to pave the door for more corporations to follow.