India’s Young Tech Talent Shines in Semiconductor Breakthrough

In a remarkable showcase of India's burgeoning tech talent, Union Minister of Electronics & Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, announced the successful fabrication of 20 student-designed semiconductor chips at the Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL) in Mohali. With this achievement, the minister highlighted the prowess of India's youth in advancing technological innovation, calling it 'Bharat's Yuva Shakti.'

The Ministry of Electronics & IT revealed that these chips are the culmination of efforts by students from 17 Indian engineering colleges, including several prestigious IITs. Fabricated at the ministry's facility, these designs are part of the ambitious Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme. This initiative aims to enhance India's semiconductor design and manufacturing industry by offering comprehensive support.

Approved with a budget of Rs 1,000 crore, the DLI Scheme is structured to assist domestic firms, startups, and MSMEs in semiconductor product development, an area characterized by high-risk and global competition. The scheme provides necessary design infrastructure support like Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools and Intellectual Property (IP) cores, also offering financial incentives to encourage design prototyping and commercial scaling.

An additional incentive is allocated for successful deployment and commercialization of chip solutions, promoting long-term growth and sustainability. Launched in December 2021, the initiative has already seen participation from 278 academic institutions and 72 startups, providing them access to advanced EDA tools.

Highlighting the adaptive nature of the scheme, the ministry affirmed its commitment to consult stakeholders for feedback and necessary modifications. Financial backing has already supported 23 companies in designing chips for diverse applications. With multiple companies scaling up prototypes for commercialization, the scheme is set to empower India's semiconductor industry decisively.

(With inputs from agencies.)