The 70-year-old dream of 'atmanirbhar' silicon is no longer a policy paper; it is a physical reality. In a standing-room-only briefing in Dholera, Gujarat, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed that the first batch of commercial-grade semiconductor chips will hit the market within the next two weeks.
The Dholera Miracle
The facility, a multi-billion dollar joint venture that has been under construction since 2023, has successfully completed its "tape-out" and initial yield testing. Unlike previous experimental runs, this production line is scaled for global commercial orders.
The 28nm Strategy
By focusing on 28nm and 40nm nodes, India is targeting the 'sweet spot' of the global chip shortage. These are the chips that power electric vehicles, power grids, and 5G base stations. "The world doesn't just need the smallest chips; it needs the most reliable ones," Vaishnaw remarked.
With this launch, India joins an exclusive list of nations—USA, Taiwan, South Korea, and China—with at-scale commercial fabrication capability.