Semicon India 2025: Ashwini Vaishnaw presents India's first chip 'Vikram' to PM Modi

Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw presented Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the first “made in India” semiconductor chip on Tuesday at the inaugural session of Semicon India 2025.

Vaishnaw, addressing the gathering, said India’s semiconductor journey has achieved a historic milestone within three-and-a-half years of the launch of the India Semiconductor Mission.

“Just a few years ago, we met for the first time to make a new beginning driven by our prime minister's farsighted vision. We launched the India Semiconductor Mission… In a short span of 3.5 years, we have the world looking at India with confidence. Today, the construction of five semiconductor units is going on at a rapid pace…We just presented the first ‘made in India’ chip to PM Modi,” Vaishnaw said.

The minister presented the Vikram 32-bit processor, developed by ISRO’s Semiconductor Lab, along with test chips of four approved projects to the prime minister.

Vikram is India’s first fully indigenous 32-bit microprocessor, designed to withstand harsh launch vehicle conditions.

Vaishnaw noted that a pilot line of one semiconductor unit has already been completed while two more units will begin production in the coming months. He urged global investors to leverage India’s “stable policy environment and transparent management” in the sector.

“We are living in unprecedented times. Global policy turmoil has created huge uncertainty. In these turbulent times, India stands as a lighthouse of stability and growth,” he said.

Highlighting India’s achievements in electronics manufacturing, the minister said production has grown six-fold and exports eight-fold in the past decade.

Referring to Prime Minister Modi’s remarks at Semicon India 2024, Vaishnaw added, “I would like to reiterate what PM Modi said last year – when the chips are down, you can bet on India. The recent Q1 growth of 7.8% is proof of that.”

Prime Minister Modi, who inaugurated Semicon India 2025 in the national capital, said the government is working on the next phase of the India Semiconductor Mission as well as a new Design-Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme.

“The base of digital infrastructure is critical minerals and the country has started working on the Critical Minerals Mission. The days are not far when the smallest chip made in India will drive the biggest change in the world,” Modi said.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Union Commerce and Industry Minister Jitin Prasada were also present at the event.