India Accelerates Chip Ambitions With R&D Hubs and Indigenous Design Tools

Marvell Doubles Down on Bengaluru

Marvell Technology has opened an additional 100,000 square feet of semiconductor R&D space in Bengaluru, committing $250 million to the expansion. The company plans to double its India headcount over the next three years, a signal that multinational chipmakers increasingly view the country as essential to their design operations.

The expansion comes as India positions itself not just as a manufacturing destination but as a hub for high-value chip design and engineering. Bengaluru, already home to thousands of semiconductor engineers, is absorbing fresh capital and talent as companies diversify their R&D footprint across Asia.

Indigenous Silicon Photonics Tools Enter the Market

India has launched two domestically developed silicon photonics solutions aimed at strengthening local chip design and testing capabilities. The tools are intended to lower entry barriers for researchers and industry players working on photonic chips, which are used in communications, sensing, quantum systems, and advanced computing applications.

The move extends beyond domestic needs. By expanding the pool of accessible design tools, India could enable more participants in global photonic chip supply chains, potentially accelerating adoption in markets where cost and access have been constraints. Silicon photonics remains a strategic domain, and India's effort to build indigenous capabilities reflects broader regional competition in advanced semiconductor technologies.

Paras Defense Targets Packaging and Testing

Paras Defense and Space Technologies announced that its semiconductor subsidiary, Paras Semiconductors, will invest INR 62 billion, approximately $644 million, to establish a semiconductor packaging and testing facility in Madhya Pradesh. The project is part of India's push to build a complete domestic chip manufacturing ecosystem, including outsourced assembly and test (OSAT) capabilities.

India currently lacks significant OSAT capacity, relying on facilities in Taiwan, China, Malaysia, and Vietnam for much of the region's packaging and testing work. A homegrown facility could reduce dependence on external nodes and offer regional customers an alternative as supply chains continue to fragment.

Design Kit Access Expands Through eChipHub

The National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) and the Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL) have made SCL's indigenous 1.2-micrometer Process Design Kit available through the eChipHub platform. The collaboration is designed to support semiconductor design education and research under the India Semiconductor Mission.

Process design kits are essential for chip designers to simulate and verify circuits before fabrication. By offering a domestic PDK through a centralized platform, India is building the infrastructure needed to train engineers and enable startups to prototype designs without relying entirely on foreign foundries or toolsets.

RISC-V Platform Emerges from Gujarat Startup

IndieSemiC, a Gujarat-based fabless semiconductor startup, has partnered with Semtech Corporation to develop a RISC-V-based system-in-package platform. The platform combines general-purpose computing with long-range wireless connectivity for Internet of Things applications.

The partnership underscores India's growing role in open-architecture chip design. RISC-V, an open-source instruction set architecture, has gained traction among startups and nations seeking alternatives to proprietary chip architectures. India's participation in RISC-V development could position its designers in a segment expected to grow as IoT deployments scale across agriculture, logistics, and smart infrastructure.

Telecom Manufacturing Zone Planned in Gwalior

India is moving forward with plans to establish a major telecom manufacturing hub in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. The zone is intended to reduce import dependence, support exports, and create an integrated base for telecom hardware production, research, and development.

The project aligns with India's broader push to localize supply chains for critical technologies. Telecom equipment has been a priority as the country seeks to reduce reliance on foreign vendors, particularly in 5G infrastructure. A dedicated manufacturing zone could attract both domestic and international companies looking to diversify production away from concentrated nodes in East Asia.

HCLTech Plans AI Data Center in Odisha

HCLTech announced plans to establish its first AI data center at the upcoming Odisha Sovereign AI Park. The facility will be developed in partnership with AI startup Sarvam and the Government of Odisha, marking a step in HCLTech's expansion into full-stack artificial intelligence services.

The investment, valued at $4.4 billion, reflects growing demand for sovereign AI infrastructure, where governments and enterprises seek to keep data and processing within national borders. India is positioning itself to serve both domestic AI workloads and regional clients as compute-intensive applications in finance, healthcare, and government services expand.