India can import capital, but not sovereignty; controlling silicon critical for future: ESSCI CEO

New Delhi: Asserting that true national sovereignty in the digital era belongs to those who control silicon, Electronics Sector Skills Council of India (ESSCI) CEO Madhvendra Singh on Wednesday said India can import machinery and capital, but it "cannot import sovereignty".

Speaking at the PHDCCI's Semiconductor India 2026 national conference here, Singh emphasised that domestic semiconductor manufacturing is no longer a luxury, but a critical strategic choice for the country.

"A nation that cannot manufacture its own chips is ultimately building its future on rent and security. We can import machinery and we can import capital, but we cannot import sovereignty," Singh said.


While global giants are setting up mega-fabrication and advanced packaging facilities on Indian shores, Singh noted that the "true backbone" of this technological revolution lies in grassroots enterprises and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

These component makers, testing units, and precision packagers will accelerate India's semiconductor sovereignty and absorb hundreds of thousands of ancillary jobs, he added.

Highlighting the scale of the opportunity, Singh said India has already attracted cumulative investments of USD 20 billion in the sector. With the domestic market projected to reach USD 130 billion by 2030; he noted that this expansion demands a massive workforce transformation.

The core semiconductor talent pool required is expected to reach nearly 400,000 professionals, alongside a broader supply chain requirement of a vast skilled workforce to sustain these multi-billion-dollar manufacturing channels, which include major facilities in Gujarat and Odisha approved under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM).

To ensure a talent shortage does not become a bottleneck, Singh said the ESSCI is industrialising a "future-ready skill architecture" to transform job seekers into high-tech job creators.

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday cleared Rs 1.27 lakh crore for the second edition of the India Semiconductor Mission.

The government expects the new scheme to attract investments of around Rs 4 lakh crore and lead to semiconductor production worth Rs 2 lakh crore during the scheme period.

The semiconductor programme builds on the first phase of the India Semiconductor Mission and will focus on six key areas - chip design, semiconductor equipment and materials, fabrication facilities, advanced packaging and testing, research and development, and talent development.