India will drive global economy with ‘digital diamonds’ – Modi

The South Asian nation is aiming to roll out its first commercial production of semiconductors by the end of the year, the prime minister has announced

India will drive major change by shaping the future of the microchip industry, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday. New Delhi will begin commercial semiconductor production by the end of 2025, marking a significant milestone in the country's push toward technological self-reliance, he added.

Speaking at the opening of the Semicon India 2025 conference, Modi said: “The day is not far away when India’s smallest chip will drive the world’s biggest change.” He added: “Our last century was shaped by oil… But the power of the 21st century is limited to a small chip. This chip has the power to accelerate the development of the world.”

New Delhi has already greenlighted ten semiconductor plants, and four additional units are expected to start production within the next 12 months. Modi also announced a Critical Minerals Mission, focusing on securing rare earth elements and other essential minerals vital for semiconductor manufacturing.

During the ceremony, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw presented Modi with India's first indigenously developed Vikram-32-bit chip, created by the national space agency’s (ISRO) Semiconductor Laboratory for various space applications. The microprocessor was formally inducted into ISRO's program in March, along with another chip called Kalpana 3201.

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