India Plans Launch of First Indigenous Semiconductor Chip in 2025

India is set to launch its first indigenous semiconductor chip within the 28 to 90 nanometre range by the end of 2025, marking a significant milestone in its ambition to become a semiconductor manufacturing hub. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that six fabrication units are already under construction as part of a focused initiative begun in 2022, targeting a segment that accounts for 60% of global semiconductor demand and serves industries such as automotive, telecommunications, power systems, and railways. Vaishnaw emphasized the importance of balanced growth between manufacturing and services to sustain India's economic development, highlighting efforts to build a full ecosystem including intellectual property, product design, and standards. He also underscored the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the need for AI models tailored to India’s linguistic and cultural context, mentioning the development of an AI system named Sarvam. Additionally, Vaishnaw, in his role as Minister of Railways, noted India's achievement as the world’s second-largest freight railway network, with increased passenger capacity and successful integration of startups in the railway sector. These developments collectively represent India's strategic push toward technological independence and global competitiveness in semiconductor manufacturing and AI innovation.