Kumar Bahukhandi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Delhi CM Rekha Gupta during the inauguration of ‘Semicon India 2025’ at Yashobhoomi, in New Delhi. (@NarendraModi via PTI Photo)
Vaishnaw handed over the Vikram 32-bit processor, developed by ISRO’s Semiconductor Lab, along with test chips from four approved projects
New Delhi: Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday September 2, 2025 presented the first made-in-India chip to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the inauguration of the Semicon India 2025 Conference in Delhi.
Vaishnaw handed over the Vikram 32-bit processor, developed by ISRO’s Semiconductor Lab, along with test chips from four approved projects. He said the achievement reflects India’s rapid progress in the semiconductor sector under the Prime Minister’s vision.
“Just a few years ago, we began this journey with the launch of the India Semiconductor Mission. In a short span of 3.5 years, the world is looking at India with confidence. Today, construction of five semiconductor units is underway at a rapid pace.
We just presented the first ‘Made-in-India’ chip to PM Modi,” Vaishnaw said. He added, “In these turbulent times of global policy turmoil, India stands as a lighthouse of stability and growth. Our policies are stable, and this is the right time to come to India.”
The Vikram chip is India’s first fully indigenous 32-bit microprocessor, qualified for use in harsh launch vehicle conditions. Officials said semiconductors power critical systems in healthcare, transport, communication, defence, and space, making them vital for economic security and strategic independence.
Since the launch of the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) in 2021, India has made significant strides in chip manufacturing. The government’s ₹76,000 crore Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme has already seen commitments of nearly ₹65,000 crore.
On August 28, India achieved another milestone with the launch of one of the country’s first end-to-end Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) pilot line facilities in Sanand, Gujarat.
Semiconductor company CG-Semi is expected to roll out the first ‘Made-in-India’ chip from this unit. Through the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme, 23 chip design projects have been sanctioned to support startups and innovators. Companies like Vervesemi Microelectronics are already creating advanced chips for defence, aerospace, electric vehicles, and energy systems.
As of now, the government has approved 10 semiconductor manufacturing projects with a cumulative investment of more than ₹1.60 lakh crore across six states: Gujarat, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh.
The three-day Semicon India 2025 conference aims to catalyse India’s semiconductor ecosystem and position the country as a global hub for chip design, manufacturing, and technology development. It will focus on building a robust, resilient, and sustainable semiconductor ecosystem for the future.
( Source : ANI )
