On Day 2 of Semicon India 2025, held at Yashobhoomi in New Delhi, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi visited the exhibition pavilions, accompanied by Union Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister of State Shri Jitin Prasada. During the visit, the Prime Minister underscored the critical role of startups and Indian Intellectual Property (IP) in driving the country’s ambitions in semiconductor self-reliance.Backed by the Government of India’s Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme, Indian chip design is accelerating across vital domains such as surveillance, networking, energy metering, and motor control. To date, 23 chip design projects have been approved under the scheme, and 72 startups have been granted access to advanced Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools. Many of these ventures presented their innovations at the event, showcasing India's growing prowess in semiconductor design.RISC-V SoC Automation Platform by InCoreInCore Semiconductors, founded by the creators of India's SHAKTI processors, unveiled a System-on-Chip (SoC) Generator Platform that reduces frontend chip design time from months to minutes. Their test chip, manufactured on TSMC’s 40nm node, integrates six heterogeneous RISC-V cores, a custom Network-on-Chip, peripherals, and a full software stack including a Real-Time Operating System (RTOS).InCore’s RISC-V portfolio includes:Azurite: For ultra-low-power motor control and embedded applicationsCalcite: For mid-tier IoT devices, balancing power and performanceDolomite (in development): For high-performance vector processing and edge AIMade-in-India Networking SoC – VihaanAheesa Digital Innovations will release its Vihaan SoC, based on the C-DAC VEGA RISC-V processor, by Q1 2026. The chip includes Secure Boot, PCIe 3.0, USB 3.0, and other key interfaces. It will be offered to OEMs and ODMs to create broadband and networking equipment using 100 per cent indigenously developed silicon.Surveillance SoCs by Indian FirmsFour Indian companies—3rdiTech, Netrasemi, BigEndian Semiconductors, and Mindgrove Technologies—are developing SoCs for surveillance and CCTV applications. Test chips were taped out in 2025, and commercial versions are set for 2026. Collectively, these startups have raised over Rs 3 billion in venture capital, including DLI support, with combined valuations exceeding Rs 10 billion.Vidyut: Smart Energy Meter Chip by MosChipMosChip Technologies is working on Vidyut, a fully indigenous smart energy meter chip. Key IPs like the Power Management Unit, LCD Controller, and Clock Management Unit have been validated on a 180nm test chip, with packaging done at SCL Mohali. Full localisation, including fabrication, is targeted by 2026.Motor Control & Space-Grade ICs by VervesemiVervesemi aims to begin mass production of its custom SoCs by late 2026. These include chips for BLDC motor control, EVs, drones, and weighing systems, as well as ASICs for space-grade data acquisition, developed in collaboration with ISRO to replace imported components.MBit’s 4G-LTE Modem ChipsetMBit Wireless has indigenously developed a 4G-LTE modem chipset with a complete protocol stack. It has been certified by the Global Certification Forum (GCF) and LG Labs and is undergoing field testing with Indian telecom operators.From IP creation to fully indigenous system-on-chip (SoC) platforms, startups supported under the DLI Scheme are fast-tracking India's journey toward semiconductor self-reliance. Prime Minister Modi affirmed that India is transitioning from being a backend hub to a full-stack semiconductor nation, with homegrown innovation now powering India’s place in the global chip design ecosystem.With a strong foundation laid, and indigenous companies now building chips in India, for the world, the vision of a Viksit Bharat through electronics and semiconductor leadership is steadily becoming a reality.