India plans to set up a research institute for semiconductors and an R&D center for photonics, looking to gain experience from the US, Taiwan, and Europe in the chip sector.
The Economic Times and The Register reported that the Semiconductor R&D Committee sent a report on October 20, recommending the creation of the India Semiconductor Research Center (ISRC) to Rajeev Chandrasekhar, minister for electronics & IT of India.
Chandrasekhar said that after months of research, the committee laid out a roadmap for the ISRC. He stated that India is now playing catch up with the ISRC being a core institution in India's growing semiconductor capabilities, with hopes to eventually rival MIT Lincoln Lab Microelectronics Laboratory in the US, Industrial Technology Research Institute in Taiwan, or Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre in Belgium. The ISRC looks to become one of the leading semiconductor research institutions in the world, adds Chandrasekhar.
In addition, India inaugurated the Center for Programmable Photonic Integrated Circuit and Systems (CPPICS) on October 20 to achieve self-sufficiency, drive commercialization through startups, and provide essential training for the photonics ecosystem. India plans to deliver state-of-the-art SiP solutions for silicon photonics within five years, reports The Register.
India unveiled the Semicon India Programme in 2021 with a budget outlay of INR760 billion (US$93 billion) to develop a local semiconductor and display ecosystem. Under the program, India provides fiscal support for companies or consortia engaged in wafer fabs, display fabs, compound semiconductors, silicon photonics, sensors and MEMS, ATMP and OSAT, and IC designs.
