India Powers Global Chip Design with 20% of World’s Engineers: Report

India has emerged as a vital hub in the global semiconductor design ecosystem, with nearly 20% of the world’s chip design engineers based in the country, according to a report by Bastion Research. This highlights India’s growing role in shaping the future of semiconductors and its importance to the global value chain.

The report noted that global technology leaders such as Qualcomm, Intel, Nvidia, Broadcom, and MediaTek have established large R&D and design centres in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Noida. Their presence has strengthened India’s position as a global design powerhouse.

Explaining the division of work, the study said engineers in the United States usually define the high-level architecture of chips—deciding what type of chip to build, its features, performance goals, and market strategy. Once this blueprint is ready, India’s engineers take charge of the actual implementation. They translate designs into working logic, simulate and test chips, optimise them for speed and power, and develop drivers and firmware to ensure real-world compatibility.

The report clarified that this is not a “boss versus worker” model, but rather a partnership where the U.S. focuses on strategy while India excels in execution at scale and precision.

India’s policy support is also reinforcing this momentum. The government’s Semicon India Programme, launched in 2021 with an outlay of ₹76,000 crore, aims to attract global players and build a strong domestic ecosystem. With its skilled talent base, design expertise, and policy push, India is steadily becoming indispensable to the global semiconductor industry.

Source: The Economic Times