New Delhi: Around 20 per cent of the world's chip design engineers are based in India, making the country a crucial player in the global semiconductor design ecosystem, according to a report by Bastion Research.
The report highlighted that India has already established itself as an important part of the global semiconductor design chain. "India is already an important piece in the global semiconductor design. You may be surprised to know that approx. 20 per cent of the world's chip design engineers are based here," it stated.
Global players such as Qualcomm, Intel, Nvidia, Broadcom, and MediaTek have large research and development and design centres spread across Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Noida. This strong presence of global technology leaders has enabled India to become one of the world's leading hubs for semiconductor design.
Explaining the global division of work, the report noted that engineers in the United States focus on defining the high-level architecture of chips. They decide what kind of chip to build, its intended use -- whether for a smartphone, a server, or a self-driving car -- along with its features, performance, and power targets. They also shape product strategy, including timelines, target customers, and competition.
Once these high-level decisions are made, engineers in India handle much of the actual building process. Their responsibilities include translating architecture into working logic, simulating and testing chips, optimising them for speed and power, writing drivers and firmware for compatibility, and fine-tuning electronic design automation (EDA) tools.
The report clarified that this is not a "boss versus worker" setup but rather a global collaboration: U.S. teams define architecture and strategy, while India executes the implementation with scale and precision.
The report also pointed to India's growing policy push to strengthen its semiconductor ecosystem. In 2021, the government launched the Semicon India Programme, also known as the Indian Semiconductor Mission (ISM) 1.0, with incentives worth around Rs 76,000 crore to attract global manufacturers.
Though progress in establishing semiconductor fabrication facilities in India has been limited, the country's ambitions are taking shape. With its large pool of engineers, strong design capabilities, and supportive policies, India is steadily carving out a significant role in the global semiconductor value chain.