“Semiconductors Power Everything”: Vaishnaw Explains Why Semicon 2.0 Matters

The Union Cabinet has approved Semicon 2.0 with a budget outlay of Rs 1,27,500 crore to strengthen India’s semiconductor design and manufacturing ecosystem. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said chips are essential for products ranging from mobile phones, cameras and home appliances to vehicles, trains and missiles. The initiative will cover the entire electronics value chain, beginning with silicon ingots and wafers and extending to highly complex semiconductor fabrication. Vaishnaw compared fabrication precision to writing an entire epic on a fingernail, highlighting the advanced technology involved. Semicon 2.0 aims to expand domestic capabilities, investment, innovation and strategic self-reliance across key sectors.