Sabotage Attempts On India's Semiconductor Push? What Ashwini Vaishnaw Said

Semiconductors are a strategic industry, and India's growing prowess in the sector has put a target on its back, said the Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, warning against sabotage attempts.

Citing sabotage attempts when Apple started assembling iPhones in India, he said the nation must prepare for such eventualities.

"Remember, when Apple's manufacturing started, some people did food poisoning. An organisation like Reuters ran such fake news that married women were not allowed (to work). They ran such things. Electricity wires were cut. There were many such incidents. People didn't like India to come up as a manufacturer; they tried all tricks...There was an attempt to sabotage in every way," he told NDTV Managing Editor Padmaja Joshi.

He said similar attempts to sabotage India's semiconductor sector are expected.

Also read: What Should Young India Look Forward To In 5 Years? Ashwini Vaishnaw Answers

"Now that challenge will also come. This is the beginning. And the world has taken note of it. So once people start feeling that a new country has come into this industry, there will be people who support us, but there will also be people who oppose us. And those who oppose it will cause problems," he said.

"I have told the entire industry, be prepared for such incidents now...This will definitely happen," he added.

He said the stakeholders in the semiconductor industry can be a target of cyber attacks, fake news and physical attacks.

"We will face cyber attacks. People will spread a lot of fake news. They will also try to do all kinds of physical attacks," he said.

"We have to be prepared for this because this is a strategic industry. This is not an industry where people will give in so easily. So we have to make our space," he added.

Semiconductor chips are found in all modern electronic gadgets, including computers, mobile phones and weapons.

The United States, Taiwan and South Korea lead in making these chips, with China catching up fast.

Also read: On India's Semiconductor Aspirations, Ashwini Vaishnaw's Progress Report

Over the past few years, India has also been focusing on this vital sector, especially since the start of the artificial intelligence revolution, which has triggered a paucity of these chips. China and the United States have also begun treating semiconductors as a strategic asset, necessitating self-reliance.

The central government has also been promoting the design and manufacturing of these chips in India. It has been organising SEMICON India since 2022 to promote the ecosystem.

The 2026 iteration of SEMICON India took place between September 17 and September 19. Around 300 international companies from 52 countries participated in it, and 56 MoUs, announcements and strategic initiatives were signed during the event.