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India has officially launched two advanced semiconductor design centers operated by Renesas Electronics India Private Limited in Noida and Bengaluru. These centres will work on the ultra-advanced 3-nanometer (nm) chip design, making it the first of its kind in the country. These new facilities represent a major leap forward in the nation’s technology infrastructure, particularly in the semiconductor space.

“Designing at 3nm is truly next-generation. We’ve done 7nm and 5nm earlier, but this marks a new frontier,” Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, said in a statement.

In its effort to bolster the country’s semiconductor capabilities, the Indian government has consistently promoted the establishment of chip design facilities across the nation. This strategic push is aimed at creating a robust and self-reliant semiconductor ecosystem.

Emphasizing the accelerating progress in this sector, Vaishnaw remarked that the launch of prominent design hubs marks a pivotal moment in India’s journey toward becoming a global semiconductor powerhouse. He noted that these new centers are not just isolated developments but integral components of a broader national initiative to leverage the country’s vast pool of skilled engineers and researchers, laying the foundation for a comprehensive, pan-India semiconductor network.

“Within just three years, India’s semiconductor industry has moved from a nascent stage to an emerging global hub, and is now poised for long-term, sustainable growth,” he said.

“With manufacturing of electronic products in smart phones, laptops, servers, medical equipment, defense equipment, automobiles and many other sectors, the demand for semiconductors is going to increase exponentially. Therefore, this momentum for growth of the semiconductor industry is timely,” Vaishnaw added.

The minister also introduced a new semiconductor learning kit designed to boost hands-on hardware expertise among engineering students. He stated that more than 270 academic institutions—already equipped with cutting-edge electronic design and automation software through the India Semiconductor Mission—will now also be provided with these practical training kits to further enrich students’ technical experience.

“This integration of software and hardware learning will create truly industry-ready engineers. We are not just building infrastructure but investing in long-term talent development,” he said.

The minister further outlined India’s comprehensive approach to developing its semiconductor sector, which includes every critical segment—from chip design and fabrication to ATMP (Assembly, Testing, Marking, and Packaging), as well as the supporting infrastructure of equipment, specialty chemicals, and gas supply chains. He highlighted the growing global confidence in India’s semiconductor potential, referencing enthusiastic responses from international forums like Davos. He also pointed to substantial ongoing investments by major industry players, including Applied Materials and Lam Research, as evidence of this momentum.

According to the statement, Hidetoshi Shibata, chief executive officer of Renesas Electronics, emphasized Renesas’ commitment to expanding end-to-end semiconductor capabilities in India, from architecture to testing, while supporting over 250 academic institutions and numerous startups through government-backed initiatives like Chips to Startup (C2S) Programme and Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme. He added that India’s talent strength and shared Indo-Japan strategic interests will help reinvent the global semiconductor lifecycle.

“India is a strategic cornerstone for Renesas. Our long-term ambition is to jointly build a robust electronics ecosystem—from ideation to design, and production to lifecycle management—to meet the country’s growing needs,” Shibata said.

Renesas is an embedded semiconductor solution provider, the statement said. The company provides scalable and comprehensive semiconductor solutions for automotive, industrial, infrastructure, and internet of things (IoT) industries based on the broadest product portfolio, including high-performance computing, embedded processing, analog and connectivity. Renesas, a niche product designer, is setting up a design center in India with facilities in Noida, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

Renesas, MeitY to support local startups, academia

Renesas Electronics Corporation has partnered with India’s Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) to support local startups and academic institutions in VLSI (very large scale integration) and embedded semiconductor systems.

Renesas and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), an autonomous scientific institution under MeitY, formalized their collaboration by signing two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) as part of the MeitY Chips to Startup (C2S) initiative. These agreements are aimed at empowering domestic startups to spearhead technological innovation and boost indigenous manufacturing, aligning with the objectives of the Make in India campaign. Additionally, the MoUs emphasize strengthening ties between academia and industry by cultivating a product-oriented and innovation-driven mindset among students.

In a statement, Renesas said it is committed to deepening its partnerships with local companies, startups, and universities, aiming to generate over 10% of its global revenue from the Indian market by 2030. Its recent collaborations include the OSAT factory project with CG Power and Stars Microelectronics in India’s Gujarat state and the MoU with IIT Hyderabad.

Renesas said it is expanding its operations in India, with plans to increase its headcount to 1,000 by the end of 2025.

“The inauguration of our expanded offices marks a significant milestone for Renesas in India. It reflects our unwavering commitment to innovation, excellence, and the nurturing of local talent. By building products in India, for India and the world, we continue to drive growth and deliver meaningful impact across the Indian market,” said Malini Narayanamoorthi, India Country Manager and VP, MID Engineering, Analog & Connectivity Group at Renesas.

“We are proud to sign two MoUs under the MeitY C2S programme, focused on advancing research, fostering innovation, and nurturing product-focused engineers. These strategic collaborations align with the Make in India initiative, aiming to strengthen local design and manufacturing capabilities and empower homegrown talent to drive the future of industry.”

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