Key Points
- Government approves 12 semiconductor projects worth ₹1.64 lakh crore with three units now operational
- Semicon 2.0 programme sanctioned with ₹1.275 lakh crore outlay for supply chain development
- Over 68,000 engineers trained in chip design with 175 designs completed at SCL Mohali
Three semiconductor manufacturing units have begun commercial production in India, with nine more projects in various stages of implementation, the government told the Lok Sabha. The 12 approved projects under the India Semiconductor Mission carry total investment commitments of approximately ₹1.64 lakh crore.
Jitin Prasada, minister of state for electronics and information technology, said in a written reply that the government has adopted a multi-pronged approach to build a semiconductor talent pipeline capable of supporting the entire value chain. This includes chip design, fabrication, assembly, testing, marking and packaging, commonly abbreviated as ATMP.
The response came to a question from Sunil Bose on the status of semiconductor projects and measures to address skill gaps in the sector. India launched the Semicon India Programme in January 2022 to establish fabrication facilities, display manufacturing units and packaging operations while promoting domestically designed chips.
Training infrastructure
The government has integrated semiconductor education into engineering curricula through several initiatives. The Chips to Startup programme, known as C2S, provides access to electronic design automation tools, which are software platforms used to design integrated circuits, at no cost to 332 academic institutions across India. These tools have logged over 240 lakh hours of usage, with approximately 68,000 persons trained and 175 chip designs completed at the Semiconductor Laboratory in Mohali.
A Skilled Manpower Advanced Research and Training laboratory has been established at the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology in Calicut. The facility aims to train one lakh engineers in very large scale integration design, a method of creating integrated circuits by combining thousands of transistors, along with embedded systems and Internet of Things technologies. More than one lakh candidates have already completed training at this centre.
The All India Council for Technical Education has launched new curricula for undergraduate programmes, diploma courses and minor degrees in the semiconductor domain. This follows recommendations from a committee comprising industry representatives, academics and government officials that submitted a roadmap for positioning India as a semiconductor talent nation.
Manufacturing skills
For fabrication and packaging skills, MeitY has approved a project to establish a Semiconductor Assembly and Electrostatic Discharge Training Laboratory at NIELIT Guwahati. The facility will support semiconductor manufacturing initiatives in the North Eastern Region by providing training in assembly, testing, marking and packaging processes.
By the numbers
- ₹1.64 lakh crore
- Total investment in 12 approved semiconductor projects
- ₹1.275 lakh crore
- Semicon 2.0 programme outlay
- 68,000
- Engineers trained in chip design under C2S programme
The India Semiconductor Mission has partnered with Lam Research, a semiconductor equipment manufacturer, for a large-scale training programme in nanofabrication and process engineering. The programme targets 60,000 trained professionals over ten years, with skills relevant to advanced packaging operations.
Industry partnerships form another pillar of the talent strategy. The FutureSkills PRIME programme, implemented by MeitY in partnership with Nasscom, offers online courses for skilling and upskilling in emerging technologies including semiconductors. A memorandum of understanding with NAMTECH aims to train approximately 5,000 professionals over five years through certification programmes jointly endorsed by ISM.
A separate agreement with IBM establishes a semiconductor research centre in India focusing on research and development, intellectual property sharing, chip prototyping and innovation across advanced semiconductor technologies.
Semicon 2.0 approval
The Union Cabinet approved Semicon 2.0 on 15 July 2026 with an outlay of ₹1.275 lakh crore. The programme builds on existing projects that have generated demand for an upstream supply chain and aims to promote self-reliance across the semiconductor ecosystem.
Semicon 2.0 is structured around six pillars: chip design for strategic and commercial applications; machines and materials including equipment, chemicals, gases and substrates; establishing additional fabrication facilities for silicon, display and compound semiconductors; strengthening the assembly, testing, marking and packaging industry including outsourced semiconductor assembly and test operations; research and development in advanced technologies; and talent development for both design and manufacturing.
The government has established a comprehensive governance framework for project execution. ISM serves as the nodal agency for the semiconductor policy framework and has launched an Investors Support portal providing a single-window platform for information on government schemes, regulatory requirements and grievance redressal.
Each approved project company enters into a legally binding Fiscal Support Agreement with ISM that defines milestones, timelines and obligations. Companies must report physical and financial progress quarterly. A Project Management Consultancy has been onboarded to provide monitoring and oversight, with consultants deployed at project locations for day-to-day supervision and identification of implementation challenges.
Your Questions, Answered
How many semiconductor projects has India approved under the India Semiconductor Mission?
The government has approved 12 semiconductor manufacturing projects with total investment commitments of approximately ₹1.64 lakh crore. Three units have begun commercial production while nine remain in various stages of implementation.
What is Semicon 2.0 and what is its budget?
Semicon 2.0 is a government programme approved on 15 July 2026 with an outlay of ₹1.275 lakh crore. It focuses on six pillars: chip design, machines and materials, new fabrication facilities, packaging industry, research and development, and talent development.
How many engineers has India trained in semiconductor skills?
Over 68,000 persons have been trained through the Chips to Startup programme, with 175 chip designs completed at SCL Mohali. The SMART Lab at NIELIT Calicut has trained more than one lakh candidates in VLSI, embedded systems and IoT.
What industry partnerships exist for semiconductor training in India?
Key partnerships include Lam Research for training 60,000 professionals in nanofabrication over ten years, NAMTECH for training 5,000 professionals over five years, IBM for a semiconductor research centre, and Nasscom's FutureSkills PRIME for online courses.
