With the active participation of over 300 organizations, including 250 academic institutions and 65 startups, the program empowers engineers, researchers, and entrepreneurs across the country to design semiconductor chips.
In the evolving technological landscape, semiconductor chips are at the core of every modern device. Recognizing the strategic necessity of advancing in this domain, the Government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has embarked on a transformative mission to democratize chip design in India. This initiative not only aims to foster self-reliance in the semiconductor ecosystem but also positions India as a global hub for innovation in chip design.
The Chips to Startup (C2S) Programme: A Game-Changer
Launched by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Chips to Startup (C2S) Programme is the cornerstone of India’s efforts to overhaul semiconductor design. With the active participation of over 300 organizations, including 250 academic institutions and 65 startups, the program empowers engineers, researchers, and entrepreneurs across the country to design semiconductor chips. This aligns with the vision of “Design in India” as an extension of the “Make in India” initiative.
Key Highlights of the C2S Programme:
- Skill Development: The program aims to produce 85,000 industry-ready professionals at B.Tech, M.Tech, and PhD levels, specializing in semiconductor chip design.
- Comprehensive Hands-On Experience: Students are trained in design, fabrication, and testing through collaborations with industry leaders and access to state-of-the-art tools and resources.
- Mentorship and R&D: Participants are mentored to develop prototypes of ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits), SoCs (System on Chips), and IP Core designs.
ChipIN Centre: Enabling Infrastructure for Innovation
The establishment of the ChipIN Centre at C-DAC under the C2S Programme marks a significant milestone. As one of the largest centralized design facilities in India, it provides advanced tools for chip design at nodes as fine as 5nm. The Centre offers aggregate services for fabrication and packaging, creating a seamless ecosystem for chip designers.
Milestones and Success Stories
Hackathons and Competitions: In partnership with leading global companies like AMD and Synopsys, the Government has hosted deep-tech hackathons to nurture innovation. The winners, including teams from IITs and NITs, developed cutting-edge solutions in analog and digital chip design.
Indigenous Chip Development: The BLDC Controller Chip, developed by VerveSemi Microelectronics, is a prime example of India’s rising capability in semiconductor design. With 90% of its Bill of Materials (BOM) made in India, this chip offers a scalable, cost-effective solution for the electronics industry.
Digital India RISC-V (DIR-V) Grand Challenge: By leveraging indigenous processors like VEGA and SHAKTI, this challenge promotes innovation in CPU and GPU designs.
Government’s Vision for a Product Nation
Addressing the broader objective of transforming India into a product nation, Union Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasized three critical approaches:
Expanding participation across academia, startups, and researchers to foster inclusive innovation.
Adopting a spectrum approach by targeting both high-value and high-deployment chip solutions.
Building robust ecosystems for indigenous software and hardware products.
Impact and Future Prospects
The Modi Government’s focus on democratizing chip design is already yielding results, with India emerging as a potential global semiconductor hub. The strategic investments in skill development, infrastructure, and R&D are expected to:
- Boost domestic innovation and reduce dependency on imports.
- Attract global players to establish design and manufacturing units in India.
- Create millions of job opportunities in high-tech sectors.
The proactive measures under the Modi Government, including the C2S Programme, the ChipIN Centre, and initiatives like the DIR-V Grand Challenge, are laying the foundation for India’s leadership in semiconductor technology. By democratizing chip design, India is not only addressing a critical strategic need but also building a self-reliant and innovative semiconductor ecosystem. With its vision and determination, the nation is well on its way to becoming a global powerhouse in the chip industry.
