PM Modi inaugurates SEMICON India 2026, says India’s chip story has moved from files to factories…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the fifth edition of the global semiconductor summit “SEMICON India 2026” on September 17th at the Yashobhoomi Convention Center in Dwarka, New Delhi. This three-day event, held from September 17th to 19th in the capital, New Delhi, focuses on industry participation, policy direction, and international partnerships. This mega-event brings together leading tech leaders, scientists, and investors from around the world to strengthen India’s semiconductor ecosystem. The theme of this year’s summit is “Silicon to Systems: Building the Ecosystem.” According to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the conference is being jointly organized by the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), MeitY, and the global industry body SEMI under the theme “Silicon to Systems: Building the Ecosystem.” Addressing the inaugural session, Prime Minister Modi said, “India’s chip story is no longer confined to files, but has reached the ground in factories. India will soon become an integral and reliable part of the global semiconductor supply chain.” Highlighting the progress made in the country’s electronics and chip manufacturing sector, the Prime Minister said that India is now fully prepared for the next phase of the semiconductor sector, ‘Semicon 2.0.’ The Indian government aims to not only meet the country’s domestic chip needs but also export chips globally for the mobile, automobile, and AI sectors. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that amid these achievements, the Semicon India event has become even more important. The first edition was held in 2022, and since then, we have been meeting every year, but the topics of our discussions have changed each year. In the first edition, we discussed policy. The discussions progressed in subsequent editions. We began discussions on projects, including signing files and laying foundation stones. Last year, we began discussions on pilot lines and test chips, and talked about the first samples coming out of Indian units. This year, we are talking about commercial production. Our chips are now reaching customers across the country and the world from Indian plants. Two more plants are also starting commercial production. I congratulate them as well. The event will also feature an official review of key manufacturing achievements. Under the ‘Semicon India Program,’ the central government has approved 12 semiconductor projects, of which commercial production has already begun at three units approved under ‘Semicon 1.0.’ Furthermore, the Union Cabinet has approved the next phase, called ‘Semicon 2.0,’ which is based on six key pillars. Electronic design automation tools have been delivered to over 400 academic institutions and 105 startups, while 24 startups have received approval under the ‘Design Linked Incentive’ scheme. In this regard, the ministry said that SEMICON India 2026 will adopt a comprehensive value-chain approach, showcasing the journey from semiconductor materials and manufacturing to advanced packaging, design, electronics and systems.