Chip Pe Charcha Resumes in Bengaluru
With the US diversifying its chip strategy and containing China’s dominance by imposing trade restrictions, the geopolitical shift could be pivotal for driving India’s semiconductor aspirations, author Chris Miller said. He is noted for his book ‘Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology’. Miller spoke at the ‘Chip Pe Charcha’ event, a semiconductor industry discourse held at the VLSID International Conference 2025 in Bengaluru on Monday. He further highlighted the critical role of AI processors in driving innovation, describing AI as the “killer app of this century”, even as its potential is yet to be explored. Geopolitical tensions have fragmented the semiconductor industry, creating separate spheres of influence led by China and the rest of the world and impacting supply chains and market dynamics. Today, not a single country in the world is self-sufficient in semiconductors across the supply chain. Everyone is reliant on somebody else. Praising India’s focus on fostering design, manufacturing capabilities and strengthening partnerships with global leaders, Miller said, “India’s proactive semiconductor policies and investments position it as a significant player…The broader electronics ecosystem here in Bengaluru and Tamil Nadu is exploding, I think.” In a previous discussion with Satya Gupta, president of the VLSI Society of India and Epic Foundation CEO, Miller noted that the explosion of AI technologies has driven demand for specialised semiconductors like GPUs while also advancing chip design and manufacturing efficiency through AI-powered innovations. The global rush to build fabrication facilities may lead to overcapacity in traditional semiconductors, although advanced chips for AI and electric vehicles remain in high demand with persistent shortages. Global Semiconductor Rivalry The global semiconductor industry is witnessing fierce competition between the United States and China, with tensions escalating over technology dominance. Semiconductor production requires contributions from multiple global players, such as lithography machines from the Netherlands-based semiconductor company ASML, advanced fabrication in Taiwan, and design expertise from the US. This reliance on partnerships has led to a deepening technological collaboration between the US and India. In recent years, India has aligned its policies to boost domestic semiconductor manufacturing and integration, making it an attractive partner for global supply chains. While China races to close the gap in advanced technology, challenges like dependency on imported equipment and a five-year lag behind Taiwan’s Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) persist. Advising prioritising talent development, Miller said, “If you’re investing in talent, you’re taking very distributed bets.” While acknowledging India’s foundational work in manufacturing and packaging, he encouraged the exploration of niche areas like 3D packaging and compound semiconductors for the energy transition. These, he argued, could offer India a competitive edge without requiring the massive capital investment of traditional manufacturing. “Just to take an example, the way AI is growing, it will need more computers and more memory. So our best solution is with two virtual engineers, 3D representation,” he added. India’s Vision India’s semiconductor sector is poised for transformative growth, as highlighted by Satya Gupta during the VLSID inauguration. With the country’s electronics consumption projected to grow from $200 billion today to $3 trillion by 2047, semiconductors are expected to account for a staggering $810 billion of this market. Strengthening Global Semiconductor Ecosystem!🤝🌍India is forging robust international partnerships to create a trusted, resilient & diversified global semiconductor ecosystem to drive innovation, ensure sustainable growth, and unlock new opportunities.🚀✨#ISM #SemiconIndia pic.twitter.com/a3fmeEdQbb— India Semiconductor Mission (@Semicon_India) January 4, 2025 Gupta described this as an opportunity, positioning India to become a major global player. Gupta emphasised initiatives like regional semiconductor chapters across India to decentralise development and foster localised innovation. Efforts such as the VSIP internship programme aim to bridge gaps between academia and industry, ensuring students are industry-ready. Additionally, partnerships with global foundries will grant academic institutions access to cutting-edge 55nm nodes, which will enable hands-on experience for aspiring engineers. Hitesh Garg, VP and India MD at NXP Semiconductors, also emphasised, “The semiconductor industry’s future growth and innovation rely heavily on a robust talent pipeline and a thriving startup ecosystem.” India’s ambition extends beyond global markets, with untapped opportunities in infrastructure and logistics sectors. Gupta called for leveraging advanced technologies to modernise domestic industries and further boost the country’s economic footprint. Energy Challenges and AI As AI continues to evolve, its energy demands are becoming a critical concern. The event showcased the critical role of VLSI and embedded systems in driving transformative advancements across AI/ML, 5G, internet of things (IoT), quantum computing, and electric vehicles. With AI applications being tested at both the network core and the edge, experts warn that the technology’s rapid growth could result in a 40-fold increase in usage. Projections suggest that by 2030, AI might consume 20% of the world’s electricity. This raises pressing questions about sustainability and the cost of powering AI-driven data centres and devices. Currently, the cost of energy for AI queries is often overlooked. However, as AI use expands, it will give way to significant financial and environmental challenges. Miller highlighted this growing crisis during the discussion and said that some economies are already experiencing an increase in electricity consumption directly linked to AI. Despite these concerns, Miller expressed optimism and stressed the history of computing as a model for achieving greater efficiencies. He emphasised the importance of continuing this trend by focusing on innovations in hardware, software, and energy-efficient system design. As market demand grows, so will the pressure to find sustainable solutions. The rise of AI presents both challenges and opportunities. Balancing its energy needs with environmental sustainability will be a key focus for the next decade. This shift demands collaboration across industries and regions to ensure that AI’s growth remains efficient and accessible. “I think there’s two things that I’m always struck by in talent development. One is the technical talent, and two is the business talent,” said Miller, with a call for sustained investment in India’s talent pipeline, encompassing both technical and business acumen.
Advising prioritising talent development, author Chris Miller said, “If you’re investing in talent, you’re taking very distributed bets.”
Advising prioritising talent development, author Chris Miller said, “If you’re investing in talent, you’re taking very distributed bets.”
["AI in India", "Chip Manufacturing", "Semiconductor India"]
["API", "Rust", "AI in India", "AI", "innovation", "ML", "Scala", "RAG", "Aim", "Semiconductor India", "R", "Chip Manufacturing", "startup"]
["AI", "ML", "Aim", "RAG", "R", "Rust", "Scala", "API", "innovation", "startup"]
An information designer who loves to learn about and try new developments in the field of tech and AI. She likes to spend her spare time reading and exploring absurdism in literature.