Part of the Goa Global Sustainability Summit, to be held in Goa, India, on 29th-30th April 2027
Background and context
Semiconductors are the fundamental enabling technology for digitalisation and electrification. They are central to computing, communications, power conversion, sensing and control — functions embedded across transport, energy systems, healthcare and industry. This foundational role makes semiconductors strategically important for both economic development and the green transition.
The global semiconductor market is large and continues to grow: industry reports project continuing expansion as demand from AI, EVs, renewables and industrial automation increases (industry sales were reported in the hundreds of billions and rising year‑on‑year). Semiconductor manufacturing is energy‑ and resource‑intensive. New attention is being given to the environmental footprint of fabs and packaging (water, chemicals, energy), and to circularity for semiconductor‑containing electronics.
Governments are actively creating incentive programs and industrial policy to onshore and scale semiconductor capability. India has launched semiconductor mission(s) and incentive frameworks to develop local fabs, design, OSAT and materials ecosystems – highlighting the strategic and economic importance of the sector for national development.
The modern need for semiconductors
In electrification and decarbonisation, power semiconductors and converters are essential for EV traction, charging infrastructure, wind/solar inverters and efficient power distribution. In digitalisation and efficiency, advanced sensing, ML inference at the edge, and automation rely on semiconductor chips to reduce energy use and improve process efficiency across industries. In the field of resilience and security, regional semiconductor capacity reduces geopolitical supply risks for critical infrastructure and industrial supply chains.
Economic value and industrial importance
Semiconductor manufacturing and design attract capital investment, skilled employment and create upstream/downstream demand for materials, equipment, assembly, testing and logistics. Countries are offering multi‑billion dollar incentive packages because of these multiplier effects. Chips power EVs, precision industrial drives, robotics, data centres, telecommunications (5G/6G), medical devices and consumer electronics – sectors that generate major economic value and productivity gains . Market analyses and industry roadmaps indicate rapid investment in power semiconductors, compound semiconductors (e.g., GaN, SiC) and advanced nodes because of demand from clean tech and AI workloads.
