Bharat Semiconductor Research Centre

March 5, 2024

The Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Electronics and Information Technology, and Jal Shakti, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, recently announced that a ‘Bharat Semiconductor Research Centre’ will be established in the near future. It is expected to be established in Indian Institute of Technology – Madras. The announcement was made during his virtual address at the All India Research Scholars Summit – 2024, organized by IIT Madras.

Global Standard Institution

The Bharat Semiconductor Research Centre is set to be a global standard institution, partnering with academia, government, private sector, and start-ups. It will initially be co-located with Semiconductor Complex Ltd and has the potential to be spun off into an independent semiconductor research organization in the future. The research centre aims to compete and cooperate with renowned international institutions. The goal is to establish the Bharat Semiconductor Research Centre as one of the principal poles of semiconductor research in the coming decade.

Ecosystem of Research Collaboration

The new research centre will foster a vibrant ecosystem of top-notch universities and colleges in India, collaborating on research in various areas related to semiconductors. These areas include materials, physics, science, transistors, devices, packaging, and system innovation.

Semiconductors in the Global Spotlight

Semiconductors have become a topic of discussion in foreign capitals. This increased focus is due to the accelerated pace of digitization in lives, economies, enterprises, consumers, and governments, which has experienced a significant jump post-Covid.

India’s Progress in the Semiconductor Ecosystem

Since 2022, India has made substantial progress in developing a vibrant and rapidly growing semiconductor ecosystem. Several global semiconductor companies, including Tower Semiconductor, Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation of Taiwan, and Micron, have submitted proposals to set up characterization, testing, and manufacturing units in India. This development is a testament to the country’s progress in the semiconductor industry.

Research and Innovation Fund in the Budget 2024-25

In the Budget for 2024-25, the Government of India allocated ₹1-lakh crore as the ‘Research and Innovation Fund’. This fund is a 50-year interest-free grant aimed at catalyzing innovation and research through an industry-academia partnership model.

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