First India-made 28-90 nm chip to be rolled out this year, Says Ashwini Vaishnaw

Union Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Thursday that India will launch its first locally produced semiconductor chip, with a range from 28 nanometers to 90 nanometers, before the current year ends.

Addressing the Confederation of Indian Industry's (CII) Annual Business Summit, Vaishnaw gave an insight into the government's focused initiatives in the semiconductor industry. "We focused on a specific segment, which has 60 per cent market volume, with a focused approach," he stated.

Giving an update about the nation's status of chip manufacturing, the minister said, "Today, we have six units under construction. The first Made-in-India chip of 28-90 nm will roll out this year. We started manufacturing in 2022."

In semiconductor, smaller nanometer sizes refer to more miniaturized transistor designs, supporting higher transistor density per chip. Chips in the 28-90 nm range serve various industries such as automotive, telecom, energy, and railways.

Vaishnaw also emphasized the development of the manufacturing sector along with services. "Several leading economists wish us to prioritize services. Both manufacturing and services are equally critical for the next stage of growth. We need to grow our work wherever we are getting the opportunity. This should be our own IP, product, design, and standards," he underlined.

Touching upon the influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on society, the minister acknowledged its transformative potential. “We have experienced a big change due to AI, and it is here to stay,” he remarked.

Comparing it with previous technological revolutions, Vaishnaw said, "What internet did to the world, something similar will be unleashed by AI. We need to be ready for that change come what may, industry or sector. AI will be a humongous transformation in our society and industry."

He also addressed the importance of customizing AI models for India's specific cultural and linguistic heterogeneity. Citing ongoing efforts in this area, he mentioned that Sarvam is actually building one of the first AI models built around Indian ethos.

Since the Minister also has charge of the Ministry of Railways, he seized the chance to mark significant advancements in that area. "We have made a significant milestone achievement in that we have emerged as the second-largest freight-carrying railway in the world, hauling 1,612 million tonnes of cargo, surpassing the US and Russia," he stated.

On the passenger side, Vaishnaw revealed that rail operations have experienced a significant increase in capacity. "Our capacity to carry passengers has also gone up substantially. We are at a stage where dreams are being realized and goals are being attained. We are going in a continuous manner in railways; more sectors have to join," he exhorted.

He also spoke about the successful integration of startups into the railway fold. "We are now introducing a new policy where we can pilot test a new innovative idea and then scale it up depending upon the test results," Vaishnaw added.