3D-IC: An opportunity to augment India's semiconductor ecosystem

The semiconductor market has never been more significant. Driven by the need for more sophistication, automation, and intelligence, the number of chips used in various electronic systems across domains has proliferated. Industries across disciplines are embracing digital transformation, increasing the need for enhanced, complex, and specialized semiconductor chips. Semiconductor chips have become a linchpin for emerging technology trends such as artificial intelligence (AI), industry 4.0, autonomous vehicles, 5G, and edge computing. The unprecedented demand for advanced semiconductors drives the semiconductor market growth. As per McKinsey’s prediction, the semiconductor industry will be one trillion by the end of the decade

3D-IC Holds the Promise of Building a Semiconductor Ecosystem in India

India, a massive domestic consumer market for electronic products with an unmatched pool of skilled workers, has immense opportunities to capitalize on the high demand for semiconductors. It has a significant role to play in creating a local semiconductor ecosystem. The Indian government's new policies and schemes for developing sustainable semiconductor ecosystems are accelerating India's dream of a $10 billion chip-making initiative to become a global hub for electronic system design and manufacturing.

As per the report by the India Electronics and Semiconductor Association (IESA) and Counterpoint Research, India's semiconductor component market is likely to reach $300 billion in cumulative revenues by 2026, as 'Make in India', Production Linked Incentive (PLI) and Design Linked Incentive (DLI) schemes will boost local sourcing of semiconductor components in the coming years

Building an ecosystem at such a large-scale needs collaboration. The next step is to create an empowered group of technocrats under the aegis of the India Semiconductor Mission to define the strategy and march toward the future of advanced packaging built in India. Instead of focusing on a lagging edge packaging technology, India must focus on the real opportunity in designing and developing advanced nodes using heterogeneous integration through 3D-IC, where now no country, no geography, and no company can claim itself as the leader. Foundries, IP providers, EDA vendors, and OSATs must emerge with design kits, and reference flows now so that this is not perceived as another missed opportunity for India five years down the line.