Ashwini Vaishnaw Inaugurates India’s First 3nm Chip Design Centres in Noida and Bengaluru

New Delhi: Union Minister for Electronics & Information Technology, Railways, and Information & Broadcasting, Ashwini Vaishnaw, on Monday inaugurated two cutting-edge semiconductor design facilities of Renesas Electronics India Private Limited, located in Noida and Bengaluru. Marking a major milestone for India’s growing tech prowess, these facilities include the nation’s first design center to work on 3 nanometer (nm) chip technology — one of the most advanced processes globally.

“Designing at 3nm is truly next-generation. We’ve done 7nm and 5nm earlier, but this marks a new frontier,” Vaishnaw stated during the inauguration, underscoring India’s leap into the top tier of global semiconductor innovation.

The Minister highlighted that these new facilities are a vital piece of India’s comprehensive semiconductor strategy, which spans the entire value chain — from design and fabrication to assembly, testing, equipment, and material supply. He noted the growing global confidence in India’s semiconductor ecosystem, as reflected at international platforms like the World Economic Forum in Davos, and mentioned significant investments already underway by companies such as Applied Materials and Lam Research.

“Inaugurating this Semiconductor Design Centre in Uttar Pradesh is not just about one facility — it’s about building a nationwide ecosystem that taps into India’s rich engineering talent,” he said.

In a key step towards nurturing future-ready talent, Vaishnaw also announced the launch of a new semiconductor learning kit for engineering students. These kits are aimed at providing practical, hands-on training to complement the Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools already distributed to over 270 academic institutions under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM).

“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, praising the efforts of CDAC and the ISM team for driving the initiative forward.

Vaishnaw acknowledged Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visionary inclusion of semiconductors as a strategic pillar under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat campaign. “In just three years, India’s semiconductor industry has progressed from a nascent sector to an emerging global hub, now poised for long-term, sustainable growth,” he said.

With India’s electronics manufacturing sector booming — from smartphones and laptops to medical and defense equipment — the demand for semiconductors is expected to surge exponentially. “This momentum comes at the right time,” he added

Speaking on the occasion, Hidetoshi Shibata, CEO and MD of Renesas Electronics, highlighted India’s growing importance in Renesas’ global strategy. “India is a strategic cornerstone for our company, with growing contributions in embedded systems, software, and system innovation,” he said.

He emphasized Renesas’ commitment to building full-spectrum semiconductor capabilities in India, from architecture and design to final testing. Shibata also highlighted the company’s collaboration with over 250 academic institutions and startups through India’s ISM and PLI initiatives. “India’s talent strength and Indo-Japan strategic alignment can reinvent the global semiconductor lifecycle,” he noted.