The BRICS TimesIT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw described this as a landmark achievement in India’s semiconductor history on his social media handle X. He stated that TEC’s approval proves chips designed and manufactured in India are now capable of powering complex telecom systems while meeting international quality benchmarks.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced a major breakthrough for India’s semiconductor ambitions, revealing that telecom systems powered by “Made in India” chips have successfully cleared rigorous standards and quality assessments. Following these evaluations, the chips have also received certification from the Telecommunications Engineering Centre (TEC), a milestone that experts see as a turning point in India’s semiconductor journey. Sharing this development on his official X account, the IT Minister called it “a big leap in India’s semiconductor history.” He emphasized that “TEC’s approval proves that chips designed and manufactured in India are now capable of powering complex telecom systems and meeting international quality standards.”
The importance of TEC’s certification goes far beyond being just a regulatory seal. It represents the Department of Telecommunications’ formal assurance that a product complies with stringent safety and performance benchmarks. For telecom components, which serve as the backbone of India’s growing digital economy, such certification carries huge significance. This approval positions India to stand on par with other nations in the global market. Not only will these semiconductor chips meet the domestic supply needs, but they will also pave the way for exports, giving India access to new international trade opportunities.
This achievement is being seen as a historic step for the country because for decades India has heavily depended on imported chips to run critical systems ranging from smartphones and telecom towers to automobiles and large data centers. The TEC approval is therefore being hailed as a move that reduces India’s dependence on foreign technology. It also signals tangible progress toward the government’s ambitious “Make in India” and “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (self-reliant India) visions, especially in the field of electronics and semiconductors. While India is yet to commission advanced fabrication plants, the country is steadily building expertise in chip design, assembly, and testing. At present, India’s focus remains on manufacturing mature nodes in the 28nm to 65nm range. Though these are not the most cutting-edge nodes, they are indispensable for applications in telecom, automotive, and industrial sectors.
When it comes to the global semiconductor market, many leading players are racing to dominate sub-5nm chip technologies for AI and smartphones. However, India is following a different strategy by concentrating on mature nodes. This approach aims to fill the supply chain gaps that became visible during the recent global semiconductor shortages. According to a recent analysis by Bastion Research, India’s strategy is not to directly challenge giants like TSMC or Samsung in ultra-advanced nodes but to deliver world-class integration services and scalable solutions. The report highlighted that India already possesses the engineering depth and talent pool required to cater to international demand and is rapidly scaling up to establish itself as a reliable partner in the global semiconductor ecosystem.
