Qualcomm designing 'end-to-end' chips in India; more engineers here than anywhere, says President Savi Soin

Qualcomm unveils its strategic move to design chips in India, tapping into the country's vast engineering talent pool.

Qualcomm has disclosed its ongoing endeavor to design chips within the country. Speaking exclusively to CNBC, Savi Soin, President of Qualcomm India, revealed that the tech giant has already rolled out chips entirely crafted in India, which are now being shipped globally. This marks a significant milestone as Qualcomm, renowned for its Snapdragon processors powering leading Android smartphones worldwide, underscores its commitment to tapping into India's burgeoning tech landscape.

Soin emphasised the substantial presence of engineers in India, surpassing any other global location, actively engaged in the end-to-end chip design process.

“We have more engineers in India now than we have anywhere else in the globe. We have a lot of engineers here doing end-to-end chip design,” he said.

The complexity of chip design requires extensive research and development, substantial investment, and a vast engineering workforce, and that is not lost on Qualcomm. The company's investment of Rs 1.77 billion ($21.3 million) reaffirms its dedication to bolstering the Indian government's "Make in India" and "Design in India" initiatives.

With India emerging as a pivotal market and a beacon of opportunity, Qualcomm's engagement extends beyond chip design. Soin hinted at discussions underway regarding potential collaborations with semiconductor back-ends and emerging manufacturing ventures in India. Aligning with this vision, he had previously pledged support for India's semiconductor manufacturing endeavors, promising to facilitate volume production.

In March 2024, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw outlined the forthcoming evolution of India's semiconductor program. Emphasising a pronounced focus on the chip design ecosystem, Vaishnaw highlighted the programme's objective to domestically produce at least 10 chipsets encompassing design, fabrication, and packaging.

Vaishnaw's recent announcement at the News18 Rising Bharat Summit shed light on India's rapid strides in the electronics sector. Anticipating the market debut of the first 'Made in India' chip by December 2024, Vaishnaw projected a robust growth trajectory for India's chip ecosystem, aiming to be among the top five globally by 2029. Notably, the minister also highlighted significant progress in India's electronics exports, with telecommunications equipment alone contributing approximately $1 billion.