It is opening new opportunities for innovation, investment and growth: PM at SEMICON India 2026 inauguration
Prime minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated SEMICON India 2026 in New Delhi. Addressing the occasion and highlighting the significance of the event's fifth edition, the PM drew a parallel between the launch of Semicon India and Vishwakarma Diwas. He pointed out the beautiful coincidence of merging traditional creative power with 21st-century technology and vision. "This is our inspiration for a self-reliant India, a Viksit Bharat,” asserted Modi.
Tracing the evolutionary journey of Semicon India since its inception in 2022, he mapped the progress from initial policy discussions to project planning, pilot lines, and finally, the commencement of commercial production. He celebrated the realisation of these efforts with chips now reaching global customers, alongside the launch of commercial production in two new plants in Mohali and Surat. "Now our chips, coming out of India's plants, have started reaching customers in the country and the world,” he noted.
Acknowledging the immense complexity of building a semiconductor ecosystem, the PM praised the collaborative effort required to master chip design, equipment manufacturing, and testing capabilities in record time. He credited the present industry leaders as foundational pillars whose partnership made this rapid technological leap possible. "You are the pillars of this success of India, you are partners,” he said.
Outlining the relentless momentum of the sector, the PM explained the concept of 'tape out' and how the government continuously pushes for the next technological version without pause. He announced the massive 13.5 billion dollar second phase of the Semiconductor Mission and highlighted new regulatory reforms that facilitate collaborations between international companies, startups, and design firms. "The Government of India is taking every step needed for the success of your projects.”
Detailing the vision for a robust domestic supply chain, the PM stressed the importance of nurturing fabless companies, creating intellectual property, and integrating silicon photonics for AI-enabling infrastructure. He urged leaders in equipment, chemicals, gases, and materials to capitalize on the golden opportunities presented by the twelve approved projects and an expanding demand pipeline. "We want the entire ecosystem to grow together,” he said.
Highlighting the strategic advantage of India's demographic dividend, Modi spoke of the vast pool of engineering talent and the extensive skilling initiatives specifically tailored for chip designing. He proudly mentioned receiving custom-designed chips from students and reiterated the government's ambitious target to train one lakh engineering students, with 70,000 already trained.
Addressing the evolving complexities of the semiconductor market, the PM spoke of how the explosive demand for Artificial Intelligence is shifting the focus from mere transistor size to holistic system integration, including memory placement and heat management. He positioned the nation as a reliable and continuously prepared destination to meet these new global manufacturing challenges.
Tackling the critical issue of energy security for high-performance computing, the Prime Minister outlined the massive power requirements generated by AI data centres and the necessity of uninterrupted electricity for manufacturing plants. He detailed the nation's aggressive expansion in the power sector, including a leap to over 160 GW in solar capacity, the opening of nuclear energy to private players, and the development of small modular reactors.
Connecting the rapid expansion of power infrastructure to industrial readiness, the Prime Minister declared that this energy security acts as a fundamental strength for the semiconductor ecosystem. He reassured stakeholders that the administration is deeply committed to optimizing conditions for industrial growth.
