India developing 25 chipsets with indigenous intellectual property: Ashwini Vaishnaw

Vaishnaw noted that 13 projects are currently underway, led by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Bengaluru.

India is developing 25 chipsets with indigenous intellectual property (IP), particularly in high-risk areas like surveillance and Wi-Fi access, under the Design-Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has stated.

Vaishnaw, in a recent interview with Business Standard, noted that 13 projects are currently underway, led by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Bengaluru. “Owning IP ensures security and transforms us from a services nation to a product nation,” he said, further adding that the upcoming semiconductor fabs will manufacture these chips locally.

Moreover, the minister stated that the government has supported 240 educational institutions with world-class chip design tools to foster talent. Twenty chips developed by students will soon be taped out at the Semiconductor Laboratory in Mohali, boosting confidence and paving the way for 85,000 skilled engineers over the next decade.

Additionally, Vaishnaw revealed that the newly launched Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for electronic components is set to double value addition within five years. Electronics production has grown fivefold and exports sixfold over the past decade, driven by the PLI, which has also generated 2.5 million jobs.

He also mentioned that India is shifting from import substitution to export-led growth in electronics. “Make in India, make for the world,” Vaishnaw underlined, as efforts continue to integrate with global supply chains.

Responding to concerns over the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, Vaishnaw assured that it aligns with the RTI Act and Supreme Court rulings. “Public-interest data will remain accessible,” he said.