The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology wrapped up SEMICON India 2026 at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi, with 15 new announcements focused on building India’s semiconductor industry from the ground up. The initiatives span processor design, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, manufacturing systems, workforce training and start-up support. Together, they aim to create a complete ecosystem where Indian institutions and companies can develop, test and deploy semiconductor technologies without depending on foreign solutions.
What was announced
Design and innovation challenges: Winners of the Digital India RISC-V Grand Challenge under the Chips to Startup Programme were named. Three teams shared Rs 60 lakh in prize money for building applications using Indian processors. Meevisai Technologies won first prize for an autonomous water-cleaning robot using the SHAKTI processor. A second edition of the Bharat AI-SoC Challenge was launched for students and professionals working on artificial intelligence and chip design.
Manufacturing and infrastructure: The Semi-Conductor Laboratory in Mohali introduced DMIS, a system to manage wafer production from order to packaging. C-DAC partnered with NLC India and Bharat Electronics to build data centres and computing solutions using indigenous technology.
Computing platforms: C-DAC launched PARAM Vidya, an AI system ready for use by universities, start-ups and small businesses, and inaugurated PARAM Shavak-QS, a quantum simulation platform for research and education.
Workforce development: Multiple partnerships were announced between skills councils, industry bodies and training providers to certify workers in chip design, testing, manufacturing and packaging. NIELIT started initiatives for hands-on training and digital simulation in semiconductor assembly.
Start-up engagement: A hackathon drew 3,808 team registrations and crowned winners from VIT Vellore and IIT Madras. Under Startup Mitra, 11 start-ups pitched to venture capital investors.
Market outlook: A report by EY and the India Semiconductor and Electronics Association projected India’s semiconductor market could grow from nearly USD 64 billion in 2026 to USD 200 billion by 2035.
What this means for you
If you are a student or early-stage professional in electronics, new training programmes and certifications are opening across chip design, testing and manufacturing. Start-ups and small businesses can now access advanced AI and computing platforms without expensive foreign imports. Engineers working on semiconductor technology have clearer pathways to build products using Indian processors and infrastructure, with institutional backing and venture funding becoming more available.