French software giant expands semiconductor presence in India with focus on advanced packaging and local workforce development.
French multinational software provider Dassault Systèmes is targeting India’s expanding semiconductor industry by introducing virtual twin technology to accelerate chip manufacturing. The company’s platform aims to help Indian firms move beyond traditional electronic design automation (EDA) into advanced packaging, chiplets, high-bandwidth memory (HBM), and high-performance computing hardware for data centres and AI applications.
Explaining the shift in strategy, John Maculley, Director of Global High-Tech Industry Business Consulting at Dassault Systèmes, stated: “India’s approach to semiconductors historically has been around EDA and design. What we are introducing to the market is extending that using a virtual-first manufacturing strategy.”
By enabling virtual design and simulation before physical production, the software platform reduces development costs and speeds up deployment. Maculley added: “Our software enables these companies to undertake design and simulation virtually, so when they do commit to the physical build, they can do it much faster at a lower cost and higher quality.” A joint study by NASSCOM and Dassault Systèmes estimates the total addressable market for virtual twin technology in India at $13 billion.
The push aligns with central initiatives like the government’s ₹1.27 lakh crore Semicon 2.0 scheme, which supports OSAT, ATMP, and fabrication facilities under the India Semiconductor Mission. To support this growth, Dassault Systèmes is actively addressing technical skills shortages across the domestic market.
Highlighting workforce readiness, Shree Harsha, Senior Sales Director for Growth Industries at Dassault Systèmes India, noted: “I think the biggest challenge is the workforce of the future in India. So we are making a very conscious effort to build that workforce.”
Dassault Systèmes currently partners with 1,500 Indian academic institutions to deliver industry-tailored training. Harsha added: “Our commitment is to work closely with the central and the state governments in building the workforce of the future. We are connected to the enterprise supply chain, including SMEs, startups, and academia.”
India represents Dassault Systèmes’ second-largest global workforce, employing 5,500 people alongside a network of 75 resellers serving 25,000 domestic clients—including Havells, Mahindra & Mahindra, Royal Enfield, VE Commercial Vehicles, and Ashok Leyland. The software provider aims to reach $1 billion in annual revenue in India by 2030 as it expands across the automotive, aerospace, and semiconductor sectors.
