NaMo Semiconductor Lab at IIT Bhubaneswar Boosts Make in India

Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, has recently approved the setting up of the NaMo Semiconductor Laboratory at IIT Bhubaneswar, with an estimated project cost of Rs. 4.95 crore under the MPLAD Scheme.

The lab will play a key role in enhancing Bharat's semiconductor talent pool, equipping the youth with industry-ready skills, and supporting upcoming chip manufacturing and packaging units across the country. By providing state-of-the-art training, design, and fabrication facilities, the lab will further strengthen the Make in India and Design in India initiatives.

With this addition, IIT Bhubaneswar is poised to become a hub for semiconductor research and skilling, complementing its existing Silicon Carbide Research and Innovation Centre (SiCRIC) and cleanroom facilities. The lab will provide essential equipment and software required for hands-on semiconductor training, design, and development. The estimated budget includes INR 4.6 crore for equipment and INR 35 lakh for software.

Bharat currently hosts 20% of the global chip design talent, with students from 295 universities leveraging the latest EDA tools. Notably, 28 student-designed chips from 20 institutes have already been taped out at SCL Mohali. The NaMo Semiconductor Lab will further empower students and researchers to innovate and contribute to the fast-growing semiconductor ecosystem in India.

The lab's establishment is timely for Odisha, which has received approval for two major semiconductor projects under the India Semiconductor Mission. One project focuses on Silicon Carbide (SiC)-based compound semiconductors, while the other is an advanced 3D glass packaging facility. Together with these initiatives, IIT Bhubaneswar's NaMo Semiconductor Lab will provide critical R&D support for semiconductor manufacturing and packaging in India.