New Delhi [India], October 25 (ANI): India is developing advanced chipsets capable of powering a range of high-tech applications, including CCTVs, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday, underscoring the nation’s rapid progress in indigenous semiconductor capabilities.
The government plans to invest over Rs 200 crore to develop energy-efficient microprocessors for high-performance computing, including servers, the minister added.
“Semiconductor chips are at the heart of modern technology, powering essential systems in healthcare, transport, communication, defence, and space. As the world moves toward greater digitalisation and automation, semiconductors have become integral to economic security and strategic independence,” Vaishnaw noted.
Since the launch of the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) in 2021, India has transformed its semiconductor vision into reality, with Rs 76,000 crore allocated and nearly Rs 65,000 crore already committed. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is now working on the next phase, Semicon 2.0, in consultation with various line ministries to finalise its contours.
Vaishnaw highlighted examples of Indian innovation, including mobile phone components, the railway anti-collision system Kavach, UPI, and large-scale adoption of the homegrown IT platform Zoho. Over 12 lakh central government employees are now using Zoho’s swadeshi digital suite, which includes applications such as Writer, Show, and Drive. Headquartered in Chennai, Zoho employs over 18,000 people worldwide and offers more than 55 apps across major business categories.
The minister emphasized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push for ‘Swadeshi’ and self-reliance, encouraging the use of indigenous products and services while maintaining quality standards. He added that India is on track to achieve complete domestic production of mobile phone components within two years.
India’s electronics manufacturing sector has expanded rapidly, with total production rising from Rs 2.4 lakh crore in 2014 to Rs 9.8 lakh crore in 2024. Mobile manufacturing alone reached Rs 4.4 lakh crore, with exports of Rs 1.5 lakh crore in 2024. Currently, 98 per cent of mobile phones used in India are manufactured domestically, and smartphones have become one of India’s top export items.
As part of the Atmanirbhar and Make in India initiatives, the government has introduced Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes to boost competitiveness, attract investments, enhance exports, integrate India into the global supply chain, and reduce dependency on imports. (ANI)
