India has made significant progress in building a skilled semiconductor workforce under the Chips to Startups initiative of the India Semiconductor Mission, with substantial advances achieved toward the long term goal of training 85,000 semiconductor engineers. The initiative focuses on talent development through structured training, upskilling and workforce development programmes aimed at strengthening India’s semiconductor ecosystem.
Ashwini Vaishnaw stated on 7 March 2026 that in the past four years India has already taken major steps toward achieving the ten year target of producing a large pool of semiconductor design professionals. The programme has enabled students across the country to gain hands on exposure to key aspects of semiconductor technology including design, fabrication, packaging and testing.
As part of the initiative, world class Electronic Design Automation tools have been made available in 315 academic institutions across India. These advanced tools are being supported by global technology companies including Synopsys, Cadence, Siemens, Renesas, Ansys and AMD. The availability of these tools has enabled students and researchers to gain practical training in semiconductor chip design using industry grade technology platforms.
Through these facilities, students are able to design semiconductor chips within their institutions. The designed chips are subsequently fabricated and tested at the Semiconductor Laboratory in Mohali, allowing students to experience the complete semiconductor development cycle from design to fabrication, packaging and testing.
The programme has evolved into what is now described as the world’s largest open access Electronic Design Automation platform for semiconductor training. According to the data released, more than 1.85 crore hours of Electronic Design Automation tool usage have already been recorded by students and researchers engaged in chip design training under the initiative.
The initiative has enabled students from institutions across the country to actively participate in semiconductor development activities. Participation spans the entire country, with students from states ranging from Assam to Gujarat and from Kashmir to Kanyakumari engaging in semiconductor design training.
Officials noted that this nationwide participation marks a significant milestone in India’s efforts to build technological capability and reduce dependence on external sources for semiconductor expertise. By enabling practical exposure at the academic level, the initiative is helping develop a strong domestic pipeline of semiconductor engineers.
Ashwini Vaishnaw also highlighted the rapid growth expected in the global semiconductor industry. He noted that the sector, currently valued at approximately 800 to 900 billion dollars globally, is projected to grow to nearly two trillion dollars in the coming years. This expansion is expected to create demand for around two million skilled professionals worldwide.
The growing global demand for semiconductor talent presents substantial employment opportunities for India’s youth. Through large scale training programmes such as Chips to Startups, the government aims to position India as a key contributor to the global semiconductor workforce.
In order to further strengthen the talent pipeline, the government plans to expand the programme under India Semiconductor Mission 2.0. The number of participating academic institutions will be increased from the current 315 to 500 institutions across the country.
The expansion is intended to widen access to semiconductor training infrastructure and ensure that students in more universities and engineering colleges gain exposure to advanced chip design tools and processes. By extending the programme to more institutions, the government aims to develop a continuous supply of trained professionals in semiconductor design, fabrication, packaging and testing.
The initiative forms part of a broader national strategy to build a comprehensive semiconductor ecosystem in India. Along with talent development, the strategy includes infrastructure creation, industry partnerships and research collaboration to support long term growth of the semiconductor sector.
Officials said the continued expansion of training programmes under India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 will play a key role in enabling India to emerge as a major global hub for semiconductor design and technology development.
