Discussions are underway between a global chipmaker Intel and the Indian government as the company prepares to participate in the upcoming Design Linked Incentive scheme under India Semiconductor Mission 2.0, once the programme opens to global players.
The company’s India president said talks with the government are ongoing and participation will begin as soon as the framework allows international firms. Speaking to a media outlet, he said the move would strengthen not only chip design but also India’s wider electronics ecosystem.
“We have been talking [with the government], and as soon as they open things up, we will be playing there,” he said.
He added that higher electronics demand in India would benefit the entire value chain, from silicon design to original design manufacturers building laptops, servers, data centres and network equipment. “If we can increase demand and consumption of electronics in India, naturally the supply chain and silicon design ecosystem benefits. It’s not just chip design — it’s the entire ODM ecosystem,” he said.
The government is finalising DLI 2.0 with a focus on 6 areas — compute, radio frequency, networking, power management, sensors and memory. The aim is to boost indigenous semiconductor design and enable India to manufacture up to 80% of electronic systems across sectors. The new phase also targets the creation of 50 fabless semiconductor companies and a larger share in global chip design. Under the broader ISM 2.0 programme, the government plans to advance fabrication capabilities to 2nm by 2032.
Launched in December 2021, DLI 1.0 has approved 24 startups, with 18 already completing tape-outs. Around 67,000 students have been trained in semiconductor technologies over the past 4 years through long-term skilling efforts.
Alongside semiconductors, the company is positioning itself as a contributor to India’s AI Mission, focusing on affordable and accessible AI compute. “We’ve been focusing on heterogeneous, affordable AI compute. It’s not a one-size-fits-all model,” he said. Its XPU architecture integrates CPU, GPU and NPU on a single chip to support AI workloads across devices.
India has remained central to the company’s global roadmap for 27 years, with teams contributing across data centres, cloud, edge and PC platforms. Indian engineers have also supported the development of chips based on 18A or 1.8nm technology.
Future R&D expansion will depend on business conditions. “The key thing we look for is capability and depth of engineering talent,” he said.
On skilling, the company is working with government bodies and academic institutions on chip design, packaging, testing and AI PC labs, calling the current phase “a truly exciting time for India”.
Also read: Viksit Workforce for a Viksit Bharat
Do Follow: The Mainstream LinkedIn | The Mainstream Facebook | The Mainstream Youtube | The Mainstream Twitter
About us:
The Mainstream is a premier platform delivering the latest updates and informed perspectives across the technology business and cyber landscape. Built on research-driven, thought leadership and original intellectual property, The Mainstream also curates summits & conferences that convene decision makers to explore how technology reshapes industries and leadership. With a growing presence in India and globally across the Middle East, Africa, ASEAN, the USA, the UK and Australia, The Mainstream carries a vision to bring the latest happenings and insights to 8.2 billion people and to place technology at the centre of conversation for leaders navigating the future.
