24 DLI-supported chip design projects target strategic areas including surveillance, drones, energy metering, microprocessors and satellite communications.
Projects supported under the government’s Design Linked Incentive scheme are showing rapid scale up, signalling growing momentum in India’s semiconductor design ecosystem.
According to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, initiatives backed by the DLI scheme have achieved 16 tape outs, developed six ASIC chips, filed 10 patents and engaged more than 1,000 engineers so far. The projects have also leveraged more than three times the amount of private investment, highlighting increasing industry confidence in domestic chip design capabilities.
Implemented under the Semicon India Programme, the DLI scheme aims to build a self-reliant and globally competitive fabless semiconductor ecosystem. As many as 24 DLI supported chip design projects are currently targeting strategic sectors such as video surveillance, drone detection, energy metering, microprocessors, satellite communications and internet of things systems on chip, the government said in a statement.
India has identified semiconductor chips as critical enablers for sectors including healthcare, transport, communications, defence, space and emerging digital infrastructure. With global demand rising due to accelerating digitalisation and automation, the government is stepping up efforts to strengthen the domestic semiconductor supply chain through the Semicon India Programme and the India Semiconductor Mission.
Officials noted that global semiconductor manufacturing remains concentrated in a few geographies, leaving supply chains vulnerable to disruption. This has underlined the need to diversify production bases, with India positioning itself as a reliable and strategic player.
