India is preparing to launch its first homegrown semiconductor chip in 2025, marking a major step forward in the country's aspirations to become a global hub for advanced technology manufacturing. Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, shared the announcement at the Confederation of Indian Industry’s (CII) Annual Business Summit, as reported by NDTV.

According to Vaishnaw, the chip will fall within the 28 to 90 nanometre (nm) range and is the result of a focused government strategy initiated in 2022. “Today, six fabrication units are under construction. The rollout of the first Made in India chip is expected this year,” he stated at the summit.

The minister noted that this initiative targets a specific market segment that represents nearly 60 per cent of global semiconductor demand. Chips within the 28-90 nm category are widely used in sectors such as automotive electronics, telecommunications, industrial power equipment, and railway systems. In semiconductor technology, the lower the nanometre scale, the more advanced the chip—indicating higher transistor density and improved performance.

The development signifies India’s strategic entry into the global semiconductor supply chain amid increasing geopolitical competition and disruptions in chip availability. The launch also aligns with the government’s long-term vision under the “Digital India” initiative to establish a robust electronics manufacturing ecosystem and reduce dependence on foreign imports.

Vaishnaw underscored the importance of balancing manufacturing and services to drive sustained economic growth. “While there is a strong push towards services, we must not ignore manufacturing. India’s future growth relies on both. It is time to focus on creating our own intellectual property, products, designs, and standards,” he emphasised.

Beyond semiconductors, the minister addressed the rapidly growing influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), calling it a transformative force akin to the advent of the internet. “AI is reshaping industries and societies alike. We must prepare ourselves for this change, regardless of our sector or profession,” he noted.

In this context, Vaishnaw revealed the development of a culturally attuned AI system named Sarvam, designed specifically to understand and cater to India’s diverse linguistic and societal context. He stressed the need for India-centric AI frameworks to ensure inclusivity and accessibility across regions.

The IT minister, who also leads the Ministry of Railways, highlighted India’s infrastructural milestones, particularly in the railway sector. He announced that India has become the world’s second-largest freight railway network, handling over 1,612 million tonnes of cargo—surpassing the United States and Russia. He also mentioned that passenger transport capacity has significantly improved, marking the fulfilment of several longstanding objectives in the sector.

Vaishnaw elaborated on the Railways' embrace of innovation through startups, highlighting the success of pilot programmes that introduced cutting-edge solutions to the system. “Our experiment of welcoming innovation through startups has yielded strong results. A new policy is being formulated to test new ideas at scale and expand them based on performance,” he said.

This multi-sectoral address reflects the government’s holistic approach to positioning India as a self-reliant technology leader on the global stage. The announcement of the indigenous chip, in particular, represents a landmark achievement in India’s ambition to become a significant player in the global semiconductor ecosystem—something that could have far-reaching implications for economic growth, national security, and digital transformation.