New Delhi
India took another major step in semiconductor development with the approval of the NaMo Semiconductor Laboratory at IIT Bhubaneswar, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) announced on Sunday.
The project, costing Rs 4.95 crore, will be funded under the MPLAD Scheme and aims to strengthen the nation’s chip design ecosystem while promoting the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Design in India’ initiatives.
According to MeitY, the lab will empower India’s youth with semiconductor design and fabrication skills, positioning IIT Bhubaneswar as a leading centre for research, training, and innovation. The facility will prepare skilled professionals for upcoming chip manufacturing and packaging units across the country.
India currently contributes 20 per cent of global chip design talent, with students from 295 universities trained using advanced electronic design automation tools. So far, 28 student-designed chips from 20 institutes have been developed at SCL Mohali.
Odisha was selected for the lab due to its growing semiconductor research capabilities. The state recently secured two major projects under the India Semiconductor Mission—one focusing on Silicon Carbide (SiC)-based compound semiconductors and another on advanced 3D glass packaging.
IIT Bhubaneswar already hosts the Silicon Carbide Research and Innovation Centre (SiCRIC), which will benefit from the new lab’s cleanroom and R&D upgrades. The NaMo Semiconductor Lab will include advanced equipment and software, with Rs 4.6 crore allocated for equipment and Rs 35 lakh for design software.
The initiative is expected to boost innovation and self-reliance in India’s growing semiconductor sector.