Tata Group’s semiconductor facility in Assam is expected to begin production soon, marking a significant milestone in India’s push to build a domestic semiconductor manufacturing industry and strengthen its standing in global technology supply chains.

India’s semiconductor journey has entered a decisive phase. Over the past few years, a combination of policy initiatives, targeted government incentives, and strategic global partnerships has created strong momentum for domestic chip manufacturing. Announcements around fabrication plants, packaging facilities and semiconductor investments have positioned India as an emerging player in the global electronics supply chain.

In an interview with TimesTech, Abhishek Agarwal, President – Judge India & Global Delivery at The Judge Group, spoke about why Edge AI and semiconductor innovation are critical to India’s long-term AI ambitions. He highlighted the importance of AI systems built for Indian realities, semiconductor self-reliance, and scalable edge infrastructure that can support manufacturing, healthcare, telecom, agriculture, and smart city transformation beyond urban centres.

Semiconductors sit at the centre of modern industry. India’s ambition to build domestic capability in this sector is not a vanity project. It is a strategic necessity. Four years after the launch of the ₹76,000 crore India Semiconductor Mission, the government has moved to the next phase. ISM 2.0, announced in the Union Budget 2026–27, is meant to shift the programme from attracting fabs and packaging plants to building equipment, materials, design intellectual property and supply-chain depth.