SEMICON India 2026: PM Modi hails India’s semiconductor journey, says ‘ecosystem expanding, opening up new opportunities’ | Today’s news

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hailed the progress India has made in semiconductors, saying the country has entered the second phase of its semiconductor journey. While inaugurating SEMICON India 2026, the Prime Minister said that the semiconductor ecosystem is expanding rapidly and opening up new opportunities for innovation, investment and growth.

India is entering the next phase: Modi

The world needs new and credible places to make chips and India is preparing for it, he said.

India is taking all measures to become the preferred destination for semiconductor manufacturing, he further said.

Quick answers to key questions

•5 QUESTIONS

PM Modi announced that India is in the second phase of its semiconductor journey, highlighting the approval of 12 chip manufacturing projects and an expanded budget for India Semiconductor Mission 2.0, now totaling $13.5 billion.

India aims to establish itself as a trusted location for semiconductor manufacturing to strengthen global supply chains and capitalize on growing technology demands and investment opportunities in the industry.

The event is expected to attract around 50,000 visitors, including representatives from 52 countries and more than 600 participating companies.

Yes, as India develops its semiconductor capabilities and support structures, including engineering training programs and significant funding opportunities, it presents a favorable environment for startups to engage in the sector.

This value chain experience showcases the entire semiconductor ecosystem, illustrating the journey from basic materials to advanced manufacturing and packaging and highlighting India’s emerging strengths in technology.

So far, 12 chip manufacturing projects have been approved, and the numbers will increase further in the next phase, the prime minister noted.

Read also | India to target 100 million more semiconductor engineers at Semicon 2.0: Vaishnaw

India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 has expanded spending to $13.5 billion from $8 billion in the first phase, he said, adding, “Whether it’s policies, regulatory framework… whatever it takes for you (manufacturers) to succeed, the government is taking all steps and efforts to ensure it.”

“India has already laid the critical foundations”

“India’s economy is growing… The world’s confidence in India is also growing… If we look at the last 15 days, it gives us an idea of ​​the direction India is moving and the speed at which it is moving. Just 10 days ago, the Global Fintech Fest was held in Mumbai. The discussions there focused on inclusive finance through agent AI, tokenization and quantum technology,” the PM said.

Modi also emphasized that India has already laid the critical foundations needed to support cutting-edge semiconductor technologies and a future-ready digital infrastructure, especially at a time when supply chains have been weaponized.

“When a country like ours succeeds in a critical sector, it strengthens the global supply chain – a fact that has become even more significant at a time when supply chains are being weaponized. We should look at these transformations taking place in India from this broader perspective,” the Prime Minister said.

“The world needs new manufacturing centers”

“Semiconductor industry is facing many challenges. In the midst of these challenges, the world urgently needs new and reliable manufacturing hubs and I say this with full responsibility. I assure you that India is constantly preparing for this role…India is also emphasizing on strengthening supply chains and has introduced several reforms to achieve this,” he added.

Highlighting the Centre’s proactive efforts in building resilient global supply networks, PM Modi highlighted that sweeping policy reforms have been undertaken to make India an attractive hub for end-to-end chip design, manufacturing and assembly.

Read also | AI, semiconductors and quantum computing will shape the future of this century: Fadnavis

“From the fabrication of various compound semiconductors to the integration of silicon photonics into the ecosystem, all of this is necessary for an AI-enabling infrastructure, and we must move forward together. The necessary foundation for this has already been laid,” he said.

Directly addressing the global suppliers of semiconductor equipment and components participating in the conclave, the Prime Minister added: “I urge representatives of equipment manufacturers present here not to miss these opportunities.”

“Our government has set a target of training 100,000 engineering students for the semiconductor industry and we have already trained over 70,000… I encourage the youth – whether they are doing research in India or abroad – to come forward and participate in the development of advanced technologies here,” he added.

Highlighting India’s growing stature in international diplomacy and high-tech manufacturing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the consensus adoption of the “New Delhi Declaration” at the recently concluded BRICS summit was a strong proof of the country’s growing global credibility.

“Global Confidence in India Strengthens”

“India successfully concluded the BRICS Summit. Adopting the New Delhi Declaration with the support of all is another proof of India’s global credibility. And holding SEMICON India amidst such great achievements is another major milestone,” PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister emphasized that global confidence in India is strengthening across strategic areas, from building consensus on complex international platforms to creating trusted and resilient supply chains in critical sectors such as semiconductors.