Leading educational institutions in Delhi and the National Capital Region are playing a significant role in strengthening India’s semiconductor ecosystem by contributing to the talent development programmes under the Chips to Startups initiative of the India Semiconductor Mission. The initiative focuses on building a skilled workforce through structured training, upskilling and workforce development in semiconductor design and technology.
Ashwini Vaishnaw stated on 7 March 2026 that India has made substantial progress in the past four years toward its ten year goal of training 85,000 engineers in semiconductor design. The programme has become a central pillar of the country’s strategy to develop domestic capability in semiconductor technology and prepare a large pool of skilled engineers for the growing global semiconductor industry.
Under the initiative, advanced Electronic Design Automation tools supported by global technology companies including Synopsys, Cadence, Siemens, Renesas, Ansys and AMD have been deployed in 315 academic institutions across India. These tools allow students and researchers to design semiconductor chips using industry grade platforms and gain practical experience in chip development.
The designed semiconductor chips are fabricated and tested at the Semiconductor Laboratory in Mohali. This arrangement allows students to experience the full semiconductor development cycle, from chip design to fabrication, packaging and testing. The programme has evolved into the world’s largest open access Electronic Design Automation training platform, with more than 1.85 crore hours of tool usage already recorded by students involved in chip design training.
Students from academic institutions across the country, ranging from Assam to Gujarat and from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, are actively participating in semiconductor design activities through the initiative. This nationwide participation is strengthening India’s technological capacity and creating a strong pipeline of trained semiconductor engineers.
Delhi and the National Capital Region have emerged as important contributors to this national effort. Several major institutions in the region are actively participating in semiconductor design training and research programmes under the India Semiconductor Mission.
Among the leading institutions contributing to the initiative are the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, National Institute of Technology Delhi, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi, Delhi Technological University, Netaji Subhas University of Technology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women, Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies and DV2JS Innovation LLP in New Delhi.
Students and researchers in these institutions are using advanced design tools and specialised training infrastructure to design semiconductor chips and work on chip testing and validation processes. Their work is contributing to the development of a strong semiconductor talent base that can support the country’s emerging semiconductor manufacturing and design ecosystem.
Ashwini Vaishnaw noted that the global semiconductor industry is expected to expand significantly in the coming years. The industry is projected to reach a value of about two trillion dollars globally, creating demand for nearly two million skilled professionals worldwide. This rapid growth is expected to open significant employment opportunities for Indian engineers and technology professionals.
To further strengthen the talent pipeline, the government plans to expand the Chips to Startups programme under India Semiconductor Mission 2.0. The number of participating academic institutions will be increased from 315 to 500 universities and engineering institutions across the country.
The expansion will provide more students with access to advanced semiconductor design infrastructure and training programmes. It will also help establish a broad national network of institutions capable of producing skilled engineers in semiconductor design, fabrication, packaging and testing.
Through initiatives such as the India Semiconductor Mission and the expanded Semicon 2.0 programme, the Government of India aims to accelerate semiconductor innovation, promote domestic chip design capabilities and establish India as a global hub for semiconductor talent and manufacturing.
