Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Jan 12: Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw has said that India is on course to become one of the world’s leading semiconductor and artificial intelligence hubs by 2032, backed by rapid expansion in manufacturing capacity, talent development and the IndiaAI Mission.
In an email interview, Vaishnaw said the semiconductor industry is witnessing fast growth globally due to rising demand from artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, consumer electronics and mobile phones. He noted that India has already made a “strong start” with 10 semiconductor units in various stages of development.
“Four plants — CG Semi, Kaynes Technology, Micron Technology and Tata Electronics in Assam — will begin commercial production in 2026,” the minister said, adding that India’s semiconductor ecosystem is steadily taking shape.
He pointed out that design initiatives have gained momentum, with 23 startups currently involved, while talent development programmes have been rolled out across 313 universities. Equipment manufacturers are also setting up facilities in the country, further strengthening the ecosystem.
“Together, these factors will allow India to emerge as an important semiconductor player by 2028. After that, growth will cross a major tipping point, and by 2032, India will be among the major global players, manufacturing even 3-nanometre chips,” Vaishnaw said.
On concerns about utilisation of domestic outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) and fabrication capacity, the minister said success would depend on producing high-quality products at competitive prices. “Every new industry faces a market-acceptance test, and our plants will be no exception,” he said.
Addressing questions on India’s AI strategy, Vaishnaw stressed that sovereign AI is a national priority. “India must be competitive across all five layers of the AI stack — applications, models, chipsets, infrastructure and energy,” he said.
He revealed that 12 teams under the IndiaAI Mission are developing foundational AI models, while several design teams are working on chipsets. Around $70 billion is being invested in AI infrastructure, supported by clean and sustainable energy initiatives, including nuclear energy.
Calling AI the “fifth industrial revolution”, the minister said it would reshape every aspect of society and industry, making it essential for India to develop sovereign AI capabilities.
On electronics manufacturing, Vaishnaw said the production-linked incentive scheme for electronic components has received a strong response. He expressed confidence that domestic demand for most components would be met by the end of the programme, while also boosting exports.
While acknowledging that electronics exports are currently driven largely by smartphones, the minister said the base is steadily widening. “Exports are also growing in power electronics, medical electronics, industrial electronics and consumer electronics. As the component ecosystem matures, this export base will expand further,” he said.