SEMICON India 2026: PM opens chip expo as three plants begin commercial production

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated SEMICON India 2026 at Yashobhoomi in New Delhi on 17 September 2026. The fifth edition of the event ran until 19 September under the theme 'Silicon to Systems: Building the Ecosystem'. It was organised by the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) under the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), together with the global industry body SEMI.

Scale of the event

Where India's chip programme stands

According to figures shared around the event:

• 12 semiconductor projects have been approved under the Semicon India Programme.
• Three units approved in the first phase have begun commercial production.
• A second phase, Semicon 2.0, has been approved around six core pillars.
• Chip design software (EDA tools) has been extended to more than 400 academic institutions and over 100 startups, and 24 startups have been approved under the Design Linked Incentive scheme.

Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said about 200 chip design companies would come under Semicon 2.0, and that the first fabricated wafer from the Dholera fab in Gujarat is hoped for in 2028.

Indian chips on show

MeitY and Intel India launched an 'Introduction to Semiconductors' course for learners. The Digital India RISC-V (DIR-V) challenge also drew more than 1,200 teams, and a home-grown RISC-V-based broadband networking chip was unveiled during the event.

Why it matters

Chips power everything from phones to cars and defence systems. Moving from assembly and testing towards design and fabrication is central to India's plan to cut import dependence and build a trusted supply chain.