India's semiconductor industry will convene next month in Bengaluru for the 38th VLSI Design Conference, a flagship event showcasing advancements in chip design, research, and innovation.
"The VLSI Design Conference, India's largest engineering event, attracts substantial participation from leading companies and industry experts," said Navin Bishnoi, Country Manager for India at Marvell, a leader in data infrastructure semiconductor solutions and a conference sponsor.
Growing from its inception, the five-day event now attracts over 2,000 attendees annually. The conference includes two days of tutorials aimed at students and early-career professionals, followed by three days of technical sessions, keynote speeches, and panel discussions, featuring a dedicated forum highlighting women in engineering.
This year's conference will feature speakers from both academia and industry. Noam Mizrahi, Executive Vice President and Corporate CTO at Marvell, will discuss the impact of artificial intelligence on the semiconductor industry, while Sandeep Bharathi, Chief Development Officer at Marvell, will join a Fireside Chat on developing the India semiconductor ecosystem. Other notable contributors include leaders from Microchip, NXP, Synopsys, Siemens, and Qualcomm, as well as professors from top Indian and Global universities.
The event places significant emphasis on fostering innovation among Indian startups and the broader semiconductor ecosystem. A dedicated startup forum will allow emerging companies to pitch their ideas to venture capitalists and industry experts.
"Innovation is central to the VLSI Design Conference," Bishnoi noted. "This platform is an opportunity to spotlight cutting-edge research and technological developments shaping the sector's future."
Accelerated infrastructure and data centers
The conference will highlight the transformative role of artificial intelligence in driving advancements in accelerated infrastructure, as India expands its data center capabilities to address the growing demand for higher bandwidth and performance to support AI workloads. With significant investments flowing into data center infrastructure, a growing synergy is emerging between semiconductor innovation and the backbone of India's digital economy.
Bishnoi highlighted the critical role of next-generation technologies in enabling new AI servers and networking architecture to address the need for higher bandwidth and performance for AI workloads. "The VLSI Design Conference serves as a catalyst for progress, fostering innovations in chip design that are essential for advancing infrastructure and enhancing data center efficiency," he added.
Strengthening research collaboration
The conference also functions as a platform to strengthen collaboration between academia, industry, and government under the India Semiconductor Mission. Bishnoi highlighted initiatives targeting semiconductor research across 12 focus areas, led by academic institutions such as IITs with support from regional partners.
"This is a long-term investment in creating a vibrant research ecosystem," Bishnoi explained. "The goal is to address challenges in both foundational and advanced semiconductor technologies."
The conference's program includes forums discussing chip design, workforce development, and semiconductor manufacturing, aiming to align India's research efforts with its broader industrial strategy.
Advancing India's semiconductor ambitions
As India invests heavily in its semiconductor ecosystem, the VLSI Design Conference has become a key platform for positioning the country as a global hub for semiconductor innovation.
"The event is not only about celebrating achievements but also about inspiring the next generation of engineers," Bishnoi said. "It fosters the collaboration needed to drive the industry forward."
With its growing significance, the conference highlights India's ambitions to strengthen its position in the global semiconductor supply chain and nurture a skilled workforce capable of addressing future challenges.
Industry momentum and investments
The VLSI Design Conference takes place amid significant developments in India's semiconductor industry.
NXP Semiconductors recently announced a US$1 billion investment to double its R&D efforts in India, reflecting the country's growing importance in global semiconductor innovation.
Simultaneously, the Israel-based Tower Semiconductor and the Adani Group have committed to a US$10 billion chip manufacturing project in Maharashtra, while the Tata Group is advancing plans to establish a semiconductor assembly and testing facility in Assam.
Backed by the India Semiconductor Mission's US$10 billion incentive package, these initiatives are expected to propel India's semiconductor market to US$63 billion by 2026.
Against this backdrop, the VLSI Design Conference stands as a critical platform to showcase these advancements and foster collaboration essential for sustaining the industry's growth trajectory.
