China is both a model and a warning for India’s chip ambitions: US professor on what New Delhi should do
AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication
India has launched an ambitious drive to create a domestic semiconductor ecosystem, but Professor Rakesh Kumar warns that China’s experience offers both a blueprint and a caution. China has invested tens of billions of dollars across the chip supply chain yet still cannot produce the most advanced nodes, and its reliance on foreign equipment makes it vulnerable to export controls from the United States or the Netherlands. Kumar, author of The Chip Age and a University of Illinois professor, advises New Delhi to allocate resources strategically: prioritize chip design, develop packaging and testing expertise, and focus on legacy‑chip production rather than chasing cutting‑edge manufacturing. He argues that a measured approach can avoid the pitfalls that have hampered China’s quest for self‑sufficiency while still building a resilient Indian chip sector.
💡 Why It Matters
- · India’s targeted investment could secure a reliable supply of critical components for AI, renewable energy and defense, sidestepping geopolitical choke points that have stalled China’s progress.
