Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted India's growing role in the global semiconductor industry, announcing that students at 315 universities across the country are now designing chips that are manufactured and validated as final products. Speaking at the inauguration of the Gujarat SemiConnect Conference 2026 on March 1, he said the initiative will now expand to 500 universities.
"Today, from Assam to Gujarat, Kashmir to Kanyakumari, university students are designing chips. How many colleges and universities in the world can claim that their undergraduate and graduate students are actually designing chips which get manufactured and validated as final products?" Vaishnaw asked. "I asked this question in Davos; not more than double digits. Here in India, 315 universities actually have these capabilities."
315 universities across India are using latest tools, enabling students to design chips which get manufactured and validated as final products.
— Digital India (@_DigitalIndia) March 2, 2026
2 million talent gap in the growing global semicon industry will create next huge wave of employment for our youth.
We are prepared… pic.twitter.com/VQIVHrM4s1
The minister highlighted the employment potential in the growing semiconductor sector, noting that "a two-million talent gap will emerge as the global semiconductor industry expands from its current 800-900 billion to the1-2 trillion level." That two million gap means opportunities for our youth, our students. That is where our youth will get the next huge wave of employment in the semiconductor industry, and we are prepared for that."
Reflecting on the journey so far, Vaishnaw added, "Learn to walk before you learn to run. That first principal of learning to walk is now done. That first objective is achieved. Now the time has come to run, run at a good pace, so that we can have this journey for many, many years in our country."
The conference brought together industry leaders, policymakers, and academia to discuss India's growing semiconductor capabilities and the future of chip design education.
