Vaishnaw Launches Qualcomm's 2nm Chip in Bengaluru, Outlines ISM 2.0 Plans

Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & IT, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, launched Qualcomm's 2 nanometer semiconductor chip in Bengaluru on Friday, according to a press release issued by the Press Information Bureau (PIB).

The minister delivered a keynote address at the event, stating that the world is looking at India due to the talent base in the country, the PIB release said. He added that the next level of achievement will come from India.

Infrastructure Development

According to the PIB statement, 10 semiconductor units are currently under construction in the country. Four of these units have started pilot production and are getting their products qualified and validated with customers. Commercial production is expected to begin soon, the release stated.

Vaishnaw said India is a country that believes in co-creating and co-developing, according to PIB. He credited the Prime Minister's leadership for the semiconductor mission in the country.

The minister referenced the 1960s when the Fairchild group wanted to establish a semiconductor unit in India, according to the PIB release. The statement noted that the government of that period did not understand the importance of semiconductor chips.

The current approach started with 28 nanometer technology, which covers about 75 percent of needs across automotive, telecom, power management and strategic requirements, the release said.

From 2022 until now, 315 universities have been equipped with Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools from Synopsis, Cadence and Siemens, according to PIB. Students from these universities and colleges are designing chips, getting them taped out, and validated through functioning processes, the release stated.

India Semiconductor Mission 2.0

The government will be starting India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) 2.0, according to the PIB release. ISM 1.0 focused on getting the first semiconductor Assembly, Testing, Marking, and Packaging (ATMP) facilities established, building the ecosystem, and starting the talent pipeline, the statement said.

ISM 2.0 will have three focus areas, according to the release. The first will be design companies and startups that can design products and take them to market. The second will be on getting the ecosystem from equipment manufacturers, chemical and gas manufacturers, and validation and testing capabilities in India. The third will be to deepen the talent base, the PIB statement said.

The government plans to partner with universities to develop solutions in different sectors, the release noted.

Vaishnaw said that as the 5th Industrial Revolution unfolds, government, industry and academia need to create an environment where deep tech innovation comes from India, according to PIB.

The minister stated that students and employees need to get the right skills for providing solutions to the world, the release said. He called for industry and academia to develop relevant course curriculum and for employees to be upskilled and reskilled, which will bring opportunities for the country, according to the PIB statement.