India just made a big leap in semiconductor manufacturing by setting up its first large-scale silicon carbide (SiC) chip plant in Odisha. SiCSem is leading the project with an investment of ₹2,000 crore. They’re aiming to get the facility running by 2027 or 2028. Once it’s up, the plant will handle around 9.6 crore chip units and process 60,000 SiC wafers every year. It’s a significant move for India’s electronics and semiconductor scene.
The main goal here is to produce semiconductor devices built on silicon carbide. These chips really matter for high-voltage applications—things like electric vehicles, power inverters, renewable energy systems, trains, and even defense systems. Silicon carbide chips outshine regular silicon ones. They’re more efficient, can withstand higher temperatures, and operate at higher voltages. That’s precisely what the next generation of power electronics needs.
This project really shows what the Make in India initiative is all about—pushing for more semiconductor manufacturing right here at home. Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union IT and Electronics Minister, announced a partnership with IIT Bhubaneswar to set up a semiconductor research lab. The idea is simple: bring industry and academia together so people can learn the right skills and develop new ideas in this fast-growing field.
Building this semiconductor plant is a big step toward making India self-reliant in electronics. Exports have shot up—eight times higher in the past decade—and now India stands as the world’s third-largest electronics exporter.
The new SiC facility in Odisha is set to create 500 to 750 skilled jobs across operations, manufacturing, and research and development. This plant will help meet the rising demand for semiconductor materials, boost Odisha’s industrial landscape, and strengthen India’s position in the global semiconductor market. In short, this silicon carbide chip plant will play a key role in meeting India’s semiconductor industry goals, especially amid the boom in renewable energy and electric vehicles. It’s a big leap forward for technology and industry in the country.