It was once said that whoever controls semiconductors controls the 21st century. For decades, Bharat’s large electronics market depended on imports for the most critical chips powering everything, from smartphones and electric vehicles to defence systems and space missions. Today the equation is changing because of the visionary leadership and the rightful decision taken by the government, to support the semiconductor industry.
Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the Union Cabinet has taken another decisive step by approving four new semiconductor projects under the Bharat Semiconductor Mission (ISM), a move that cements Bharat’s position in the global chip race. With these approvals, the total number of sanctioned projects under ISM now stands at 10, involving a massive Rs 1.60 lakh crore in cumulative investment spread across six states.
This is not just an ordinary industry announcement. It is a declaration of Bharat’s intent to be self-reliant, technologically sovereign and a leader in the high-value manufacturing semiconductor industry.
Building Chip the Nation’s Backbone
The Bharat Semiconductor Mission was launched in December 2021 with an outlay of Rs 76,000 crore, to develop end-to-end semiconductor capabilities such as fabrication, assembly, testing, packaging and design. According to expert projections, Bharat’s semiconductor market value was at $38 billion in 2023, in current FY 2024–2025 it is set to touch $45–50 billion and could cross $100 billion by 2030.
This growth is not accidental or overhyped, it is possible because the policy architecture supports both domestic design talent and global-scale manufacturing facilities. Bharat has become a critical node in global chip design and now through ISM, it is turning the chip design strength into real production muscle.
The Cabinet ministry’s latest approval involves four strategically placed projects across Odisha, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh all together worth of Rs 4,600 crore. The ISM has potential to directly employ 2,034 skilled professionals and create many more indirect jobs.
1. SiCSem Private Limited, Odisha
In collaboration with the UK’s Clas-SiC Wafer Fab Ltd., this will be Bharat’s first commercial compound semiconductor fab. With an annual capacity of 60,000 wafers and 96 million packaged units, its products will be used in electric vehicles, defence equipment, missiles, railways, fast chargers, data-centre racks, consumer appliances and solar inverters.
2. 3D Glass Solutions Inc., Odisha
Setting up of an advanced packaging and embedded glass substrate unit, this facility will deliver 69,600 glass panel substrates, 50 million assembled units and 13,200 3D Heterogeneous Integration modules each year. These will have applications in AI, high-performance computing, defence, photonics, RF and automotive sectors.
3. Continental Device Bharat Pvt. Ltd. (CDIL), Punjab
A brownfield expansion at Mohali, CDIL will produce high-power discrete devices like MOSFETs, IGBTs, Schottky diodes, and transistors in both silicon and silicon carbide. Annual capacity: 158.38 million units integrated in EV infrastructure, renewable energy systems, industrial electronics and communication equipment.
4. Advanced System in Package Technologies (ASIP), Andhra Pradesh
Partnering with South Korea’s APACT Co. Ltd., ASIP will set up a semiconductor packaging unit with capacity for 96 million units annually, targeting mobile phones, set-top boxes, automotive applications and consumer electronics.
These four factories are more than production centres, they are strategic assets in Bharat’s technology security architecture. The geographic spread of these projects in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Assam reflect the Centre’s intent to balance industrial growth with regional development.
The new projects from private sector are already part of growing portfolio of semiconductor initiatives. In May the Tata Group began building a ₹27,000 crore semiconductor assembly and test facility at Jagiroad, Assam, the first of its kind in the Northeast, which is expected to create over 25,000 jobs and become operational by mid-2026. L&T Semiconductor Technologies are charting bold plans for a $10 billion wafer fabrication plant by 2027, backed by government incentives covering up to 90% of construction costs.
Research, Innovation and Talent: The Invisible Engine
The ISM will create a complete ecosystem. In August 2025, it was announced that Chandigarh’s Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO) would host the nation’s first Opto-Microelectronic Research Centre within two years, focusing initially on mini-display assembly and testing for smart devices and automotive dashboards, before moving to advanced mini-LED technology.
Government support extends to 278 academic institutions and 72 startups engaged in chip design and will train more than 60,000 students under various talent development programmes. This is supported by broader innovation platforms such as Atal Incubation Centres and Atal Tinkering Labs which are nurturing a new generation of problem-solvers at different academic institutes.
The applications of semiconductors go far beyond consumer electronics. From guided missile systems and next-generation radar to electric mobility and renewable energy grids, chip sovereignty is both a defence imperative and an economic necessity. The inclusion of high-performance computing, photonics and co-packaged optics in Odisha’s projects signals that Bharat is ready to participate in cutting-edge global supply chains.
Chips are the economy of Future:
In the present world where economic power and national security are being measured in nanometres, that’s why Bharat’s semiconductor mission is not just an industrial policy, it is a strategic doctrine. It has ₹1.60 lakh crore of approved projects, world-leading facilities spanning across six states and a vast talent pool positions Bharat to lead Bharat. Research centre construction will be unmatched by other countries. Bharat is set to become a semiconductor powerhouse.
By manufacturing ISM in multiple states, fostering the design capabilities and linking research directly to production. Bharat is creating an unbroken chain from concept to finished chip. The Cabinet’s August 2025 decision is a milestone, but also a reminder that the global semiconductor race rewards speed, precision and scale. The challenge now is to get these sanctioned projects off paper and onto production lines without delay. If done with the speed and effectiveness contemplated, Bharat not only can complete domestic needs but also as a reliable global supplier. In the present scenario when geo-political tensions are compelling supply chains to move away from traditional hubs. It’s a perfect time when Bharat has to take concrete steps to win this race.
The ISM is a message to world that the age of dependency is over for Bharat. From Mohali to Bhubaneswar, Andhra Pradesh to Jagiroad, the cycle of chip-producing machines will soon be heard in harmony with the concept of a Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
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