Union Minister Approves NaMo Semiconductor Laboratory at IIT Bhubaneswar

The Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Ashwini Vaishnaw, has approved the establishment of the ‘NaMo Semiconductor Laboratory’ at IIT Bhubaneswar. 

Funded under the MPLAD Scheme with an estimated cost of INR 4.95 crore, the lab aims to deepen India’s semiconductor talent pool by equipping youth with industry-ready skills and positioning IIT Bhubaneswar as a premier hub for semiconductor research and skilling.

Strategic Importance for India's Semiconductor Ecosystem

India currently hosts 20 percent of the global chip design talent, with 295 universities utilising the latest electronic design automation (EDA) tools provided by industry partners. 

Remarkably, 28 chips designed by students from 20 different institutes have already been taped out at the Semiconductor Laboratory in Mohali, reflecting a vibrant academic ecosystem feeding the semiconductor industry.

The NaMo Semiconductor Laboratory will catalyse India’s Make in India and Design in India initiatives, aiming to accelerate the nation’s semiconductor ecosystem amid growing global demand and fragile supply chains concentrated in limited geographies.

Why IIT Bhubaneswar?

IIT Bhubaneswar was strategically chosen owing to Odisha’s rising prominence in semiconductor manufacturing. The state recently received Cabinet approval for two major semiconductor projects under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM): an integrated facility for Silicon Carbide (SiC)-based compound semiconductors and an advanced 3D glass packaging facility.

Already home to the Silicon Carbide Research and Innovation Centre (SiCRIC) and equipped with cleanroom facilities, IIT Bhubaneswar’s new lab will complement existing infrastructure, providing critical R&D capabilities essential to supporting India’s semiconductor manufacturing and packaging sectors.

Facilities and Investment Details

The proposed NaMo Semiconductor Lab will be equipped with state-of-the-art tools and software necessary for semiconductor training, design, and fabrication. The estimated budget allocates INR 4.6 crore for equipment and INR 35 lakh for software, aiming to train the next generation of chip engineers and researchers and support the burgeoning semiconductor units across the country.

India’s Booming Semiconductor Market

India’s semiconductor market is projected to reach USD 100-110 billion by 2030, fueled by government initiatives and a growing emphasis on self-reliance, as per the government data. 

The India Semiconductor Mission, with an INR 76,000 crore outlay, has already approved ten projects with a cumulative investment of around INR 1.60 lakh crore across six states, including Odisha, Punjab, and Andhra Pradesh.

In August 2025 alone, four new semiconductor manufacturing units were approved with a combined investment of INR 4600 crore, further accelerating India’s chip manufacturing, design, and talent ecosystem. 

The government points out that India can become a key contributor across the semiconductor manufacturing supply chain pillars - equipment, materials, and services - leveraging its strong MSME base, rich natural resources, and deep talent in emerging fields such as AI, big data, cloud computing, and IoT.

The launch of the NaMo Semiconductor Lab aligns with other recent advancements, notably the inauguration of India’s first advanced 3-nanometer chip design centres in Noida and Bengaluru in May 2025 by Ashwini Vaishnaw.