Ashwini Vaishnaw Approves Namo Semiconductor Lab at IIT Bhubaneswar

Approval has been granted for the establishment of the ‘Namo Semiconductor Laboratory’ at IIT Bhubaneswar at an estimated cost of ₹4.95 crore for manufacturing the equipment and software required for semiconductor training, design, and fabrication.

• Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has approved the establishment of the ‘Namo Semiconductor Laboratory’ at IIT Bhubaneswar at an estimated cost of ₹4.95 crore.
• The proposed laboratory will provide the necessary equipment and software for semiconductor training, design, and fabrication.
• The aim of the Namo Semiconductor Lab is to empower India’s youth with industry-relevant semiconductor skills and contribute to the growing pool of chip design talent in the country.
• The Ministry of Electronics and IT said in a statement that this new laboratory will contribute to the country’s vast talent pool by equipping youth with industry-ready skills.
• The Ministry further stated that the laboratory will also help in developing talent for chip manufacturing and packaging units being set up across the country.
• This laboratory will act as a catalyst for the rapidly evolving semiconductor ecosystem of the country, further promoting the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Design in India’ initiatives.

‘Namo Semiconductor Laboratory’

• The Ministry further said, “This facility will play a key role in preparing skilled professionals for the upcoming chip manufacturing and packaging units across the country.”
• Currently, India accounts for 20 percent of the world’s chip design talent, with students from 295 universities using advanced EDA tools provided by the industry.
• So far, 28 student-designed chips from 20 institutions have been successfully developed at SCL Mohali. Due to its growing role in semiconductor research and its existing infrastructure, IIT Bhubaneswar was chosen for this laboratory.

Odisha

• Odisha was recently approved for two semiconductor projects under the India Semiconductor Mission—one for an integrated facility focused on silicon carbide (SiC)-based compound semiconductors and another for advanced 3D glass packaging.
• The institute already houses the Silicon Carbide Research and Innovation Center (SiCRIC), and the new laboratory will further enhance its cleanroom and R&D capabilities.

Semiconductor units in India

• India has approved a total of 10 semiconductor units, including 6 major projects involving significant investments and 4 more projects approved in August 2025, mainly focused on Assembly, Testing, and Packaging (ATMP) facilities.
• The major projects include Tata Electronics and the Foxconn-HCL joint venture in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, as well as facilities by Micron, CG Power, and Kaynes Semicon in Gujarat, and Tata’s assembly unit in Assam.
• Other approved units are in Odisha (SiCSem), Punjab (Continental Device India), and Andhra Pradesh (ASIP Technologies).