New Delhi [India], September 2 (ANI): Industry leaders and academic experts said India's semiconductor journey has entered a crucial stage, pointing to the government's push and growing collaborations that are expected to shape the country's role in the global chip market.

Speaking to ANI at SEMICON India 2025, Anku Jain, Managing Director of Mediatek India, said, 'India's journey was a long one for semiconductors. But today's announcement is one of the results that have come from the last few years. The semiconductor industry has picked up momentum over the last few years. But it is a multi-year, multi-decade journey,' he said.

Jain explained that while Mediatek operates as a fabless company, the growth of a semiconductor ecosystem in India would support local traction. 'If the semiconductor ecosystem develops in India, it is beneficial for us because we can then have more traction locally,' he added.

Jain also pointed to India's design strength, noting that 'Nearly 20 per cent of the global talent is from India, which is very incredible.' He said the Prime Minister's strategy was built on three pillars: security, local manufacturing to reduce imports, and job creation.

With the global semiconductor industry projected to reach $1 trillion by 2030, Jain said India's market share will expand, bringing what he called a 'snowball effect' in job creation as fabs, packaging units and design startups grow.

Kyle Squires, Dean, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, Arizona State University, said, 'India's had a long-standing strength in chip design, and now moving into manufacturing is going to increase the resilience of supply chains.' He noted that ASU's programs already engage more than 33,000 students in microelectronics and semiconductors, with partnerships spanning industry players such as Intel, Applied Materials, and NXP.

Squires said ASU wants to work closely with partners in India as well. 'It will be about advancing their goals, making sure we supply workforce needs that will meet their growth goals, and seek new opportunities to collaborate,' he said.

He added that ASU was already building training programs with Tata Consulting Engineers, ranging from fab design and chip packaging to short courses that help engineers acquire new skills.

David Wahls, Executive Director of Development, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, Arizona State University, praised India's coordinated approach. 'The ecosystem in India is developing quite rapidly. It's very impressive the work that the government under the direction of Prime Minister Modi and Secretary Krishnan and the ISM program are doing,' he said.

Walls highlighted the importance of linking governments, industries, and universities. 'From attracting partners to working with universities to building talent pipelines, they're doing the right things to make a large growth in semiconductors directly,' he added. (ANI)