Semiconductors (IT & Emerging Tech).
Syllabus: UPSC Pre GS1: General Science; Mains GS3: S&T developments
Semiconductors for UPSC: what a chip is, design-fab-packaging chain, Taiwan, India Semiconductor Mission, Dholera, Sanand, Jewar plants.
On 17 September 2026, at SEMICON India 2026, the IT Minister said Semicon 2.0 has drawn investment commitments of about ₹1 lakh crore (USD 11 to 12 billion), with close to 1 lakh jobs expected. Semicon 1.0 laid the foundation; Semicon 2.0 will build the whole ecosystem through six pillars, from chip design to training 1 lakh technicians.
UPSC angle: Mains: Moving from assembly to design: can India build a full semiconductor value chain?
17 Sep 2026
On 21 August 2026 MeitY notified the Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme with an outlay of ₹62,500 crore for FY 2026-27 to 2030-31. It rewards mobile phone makers and, separately, Indian-owned brands with Indian design and R&D. It expects cumulative production of about ₹39 lakh crore and around 60,000 direct jobs. It follows the PLI scheme for phones.
UPSC angle: Mains: PLI outcomes in electronics.
21 Aug 2026
Aheesa Digital Innovations, a Chennai fabless chip startup backed by the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme, achieved first-pass silicon success with VIHAAN on Independence Day 2026. VIHAAN is a networking System-on-Chip for fibre broadband built on the indigenous VEGA microprocessor. Production tape-out is targeted for 2027.
UPSC angle: Prelims: DLI; RISC-V.
15 Aug 2026
On 29 May 2026 Odisha, Intel and 3DGS Inc. (USA) signed an MoU for an Advanced Packaging Glass Core Substrate facility in the Bhubaneswar–Khurda region under the India Semiconductor Mission. The same day NITI Aayog released a 10-year roadmap, "Future of India's Semiconductor Industry", aiming for a USD 120 to 150 billion value chain by 2035.
UPSC angle: Prelims: semiconductor value chain terms.
29 May 2026
Rajasthan's first semiconductor facility—Sahasra Semiconductors' ATMP/OSAT unit at the ELCINA Electronics Manufacturing Cluster in Bhiwadi—was inaugurated on 15 May 2026. It is India's first SME to start commercial semiconductor chip packaging, set up with over ₹150 crore under MeitY's SPECS scheme. The 50.3-acre EMC cost ₹46.09 crore with ₹20.24 crore central support.
UPSC angle: Prelims: OSAT vs fab.
15 May 2026
The Union Cabinet approved two more semiconductor units under the India Semiconductor Mission on 5 May 2026, both in Gujarat, worth about ₹3,936 crore. Crystal Matrix will build India's first commercial Mini/Micro-LED display facility, based on Gallium Nitride, at Dholera. Suchi Semicon will set up an OSAT unit at Surat. ISM now has 12 approved projects.
UPSC angle: Prelims: compound semiconductors.
5 May 2026