SEMICON India 2026 signals a shift from policy to production
India is not only thinking of entering the semiconductor race but thinking of to what extent it can win this race.
This was the question that set the tone for SEMICON India 2026, September 17-19, at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi. The fifth edition of the event attracted over 600 firms and delegates from 52 countries, boasting more than 400 executives and 150 speakers, all coming together under the 'Silicon to Systems: Building the Ecosystem' to demonstrate the broad scope of this enterprise: where the entire chain is within reach – from materials & equipment to fabrications, packaging and systems.
And how can anybody miss the eye-popping headline figures? The Semicon 2.0 program has resulted in investments of ₹1 lakh crore and nearly 1 lakh jobs are likely to be created across the ecosystem. Applied Materials said it will invest $5 billion over the next 10 years, including expanding its India-based supply-chain capacity tenfold by 2035 and building a sprawling 140-acre semiconductor research park. Lam Research invested around 10,000 crore to set up a silicon-component manufacturing and vertical-ingot processing plant.
But the story was told in India’s actions beyond these numbers; it was going from policy to implementation. Commercial production has begun at CDIL Semiconductor in Mohali and Suchi Semicon in Surat. Micron also announced the start of commercial DRAM and NAND production at Sanand in Gujarat.
This or what is emerging as an ecosystem around the fabs is what is really disruptive. Materials, equipment, packaging, research, and human talent are all part of the same ecosystem, the narrative becomes a lot more India-centric and a lot less India-dependent.
Therefore, “Sand to Silicon to Systems” is more than some production speak. It is a transformation of our region from a technology market and design hub into an industrial region, and a transformation that will one day make us a dominant global player in science and manufacturing.
Edited by Himanshi Mavi
