IESA opens New Office in Bengaluru

The India Electronics and Semiconductors Association (IESA) celebrated the inauguration of its new office in Bengaluru, with Karnataka’s Minister of IT & BT, Priyank Kharge, and Dr. Sunita Verma, Group Scientist from MeitY, presiding over the event. Senior industry leaders, members of the IESA Executive Board, CDAC officials and IESA Staff were also in attendance.

The inauguration commenced with a Puja and Havan ceremony, followed by two key events: an interactive roundtable with industry CxOs and an engaging discussion on the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme with over 40 startups.

Priyank Kharge emphasized the importance of collaboration between the government, industry, and academia to elevate Karnataka and India’s leadership in the electronics and semiconductor sector. He also highlighted the state’s focus on building a skilled workforce to serve global markets. Dr. Verma reiterated MeitY’s commitment to driving innovation through initiatives like the DLI scheme and R&D investments. Both along with Industry CxO’s underscoring the need for enhanced productivity, innovation, and manufacturing capabilities to position India as a global semiconductor hub.

Dr. V Veerappan, Chairman, IESA, expressed excitement about the recent momentum in the ESDM sector, citing the approval of PLI schemes for members like Tata, Micron, Renesas, and Kaynes, along with state governments consent for Tower + Adani Group ( Maharashtra), Foxconn ( Karnataka) , RRP Electronics ( Maharashtra) , ASIP ( Telangana) RIR Power ( Odisha), Suchi Semicon ( Gujarat), and others. He lauded these developments in multiple states as evidence of IESA’s continued efforts, Industry Entrepreneurship with Government support in advancing India’s position as a global leader in electronics and semiconductors.

Ashok Chandak, President, IESA, hailed the day as a significant milestone for IESA’s two-decade journey, emphasizing the need for greater value addition in the electronics and semiconductor sectors to create economic growth, innovation, and employment opportunities. He highlighted the importance of the day’s CxO roundtable and startup discussions with MeitY and C-DAC as a critical step toward fast-tracking design-led manufacturing in India towards potential 500 Bn$ Electronics by 2030.

Following the inauguration, IESA, in collaboration with MeitY and C-DAC, hosted a three-hour interactive session with 40+ startups to explore the potential of the DLI scheme. The event aimed to drive higher industry participation in creating value-added electronics products in India. The dialogue featured prominent figures like Dr. Sunita Verma ( MeitY ), Nishit Gupta (MeitY/ ISM), and C-DAC's Executive Directors Vivek Khaneja and Dr. S D. Sudarshan and Start Up sector experts -  Ruchir Dixit, IESA Vice Chairman, Ashok Mishra, IESA EC member, Sridhar , CEO SFAL.

Startup founders discussed key challenges, including access to design infrastructure, EDA tools, post-Si validation, MPW fab services, and emulation prototyping. The discussion also touched on the creation of a domestic value-chain aggregator for fabrication services, establishing a marketplace for leveraging indigenous IP solutions, and providing preferential market access to Indian designs. The session offered valuable mentorship, insights into the DLI scheme, and direct interaction with MeitY and C-DAC decision-makers. An on-the-spot survey revealed that nine startups were keen to apply for the DLI scheme, underscoring the scheme’s potential to accelerate innovation in India.

Overall, the inauguration day marked a significant step forward in appreciating India’s progress in the ESDM sector and advancing the DLI scheme.