DRDO to showcase indigenous semiconductor technologies at ESTIC-2026

Bengaluru: The upcoming ESTIC-2026 will focus on advancing indigenous semiconductor technologies and strengthening India's domestic chip-making ecosystem, officials said on Tuesday.

Ahead of the conclave, scheduled to be held from October 27 to 29 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, the Defence Research and Development Organisation organised a curtain-raiser event here to promote awareness and engagement among industry, academia and research institutions, they said.

According to a statement, Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave-2026 will bring together 12 scientific ministries and departments of the Union government under a whole-of-government approach.


Organised under the aegis of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, the conclave will feature 12 thematic sessions on emerging and futuristic technologies, the statement said.

The DRDO is coordinating the session on 'Semiconductors and Next-Gen Chips', which will bring together representatives from the semiconductor industry, academia, indigenous chip-development ecosystem and defence electronics sector.

Micron India Vice-President and Managing Director Anand Ramamoorthy will deliver the keynote address, followed by talks by Bharat Semi CEO Vrinda Kapoor, Netrasemi CEO Jyothis Indirabhai and IIT Madras Director Prof Kamakoti, the statement said.

The discussions will cover semiconductor technologies, purpose-built artificial intelligence system-on-chips, intelligence at the silicon edge and developments in microprocessors.

A panel discussion moderated by DRDO Scientist and Director General (Electronics and Communication Systems) B K Das will feature representatives from the DRDO, Qualcomm, Tata Semiconductor, Bharat Electronics Ltd, Anant Systems and BITS Pilani.

India aims to emerge as a global semiconductor powerhouse by 2047, with short-term targets for 2030, medium-term goals for 2035 and long-term objectives for 2047, the statement said.

A DRDO thematic exhibition at the conclave will showcase indigenous capabilities in semiconductors and next-generation chips, along with technologies developed by its laboratories to meet critical defence and strategic requirements, it added.