Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Railways, and Information and Broadcasting, Ashwini Vaishnaw, today inaugurated two state-of-the-art design facilities of Renesas Electronics India Private Limited, located in Noida and Bengaluru.
Highlighting the uniqueness of the new facilities, Vaishnaw noted that this is India’s first design centre focused on cutting-edge 3-nanometer chip design, marking a significant milestone that positions India firmly in the global semiconductor innovation landscape. “Designing at 3nm is truly next-generation. While we have previously worked on 7nm and 5nm technologies, this development represents a new frontier,” he stated.
The Minister discussed India’s comprehensive semiconductor strategy, which encompasses design, fabrication, assembly, testing, marking, packaging (ATMP), and supply chains for equipment, chemicals, and gases. He cited the confidence expressed by the industry at global platforms such as Davos and mentioned significant investments being made by companies like Applied Materials and Lam Research. Emphasising the growing momentum of India’s semiconductor ecosystem, he stated that the inauguration of this major Semiconductor Design Centre in Uttar Pradesh is a crucial step towards creating a pan-India ecosystem that leverages the vast talent available across the country.
To further strengthen the semiconductor ecosystem, the Government of India has been actively promoting the establishment of semiconductor design centres in the country. The Minister announced the launch of a new semiconductor learning kit aimed at enhancing practical hardware skills among engineering students. He also stated that over 270 academic institutions, which have already received advanced Electronic Design Automation (EDA) software tools under the India Semiconductor Mission, will also receive these hands-on hardware kits. “This integration of software and hardware learning will produce industry-ready engineers. We are not just building infrastructure but investing in long-term talent development,” he explained. Shri Vaishnaw praised CDAC and the ISM team for their efficient execution and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to nurturing India into a global semiconductor leader.
Vaishnaw further expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for recognising semiconductors as a strategic focus area under the broader Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision. “In just three years, India’s semiconductor industry has progressed from a nascent stage to an emerging global hub, and it is now poised for long-term, sustainable growth,” he said. He added, “With the manufacturing of electronic products in smartphones, laptops, servers, medical equipment, defence equipment, automobiles, and many other sectors, the demand for semiconductors is set to increase exponentially. Therefore, this momentum for the growth of the semiconductor industry is timely.”
On this occasion, Hidetoshi Shibata, CEO and Managing Director of Renesas Electronics, remarked that India is a strategic cornerstone for the company, with growing contributions in embedded systems, software, and system innovation. He emphasised Renesas’ commitment to expanding end-to-end semiconductor capabilities in India, from architecture to testing, while supporting over 250 academic institutions and numerous startups through government-backed initiatives like ISM and PLI. He added that India’s talent strength and shared Indo-Japan strategic interests will help reinvent the global semiconductor lifecycle.