ESTIC 2026: India’s Defence Technology Roadmap and Semiconductor Self-Reliance

By R Anil Kumar

Bengaluru, Oct 13, 2026. The address at Emerging Science Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC 2026) Curtain Raiser Event held in Bengaluru,called for end-to-end Indian ownership of defence technologies, especially semiconductors, as a foundation for Viksit Bharat and global leadership.

The presentation framed semiconductor capability as strategic infrastructure for Viksit Bharat 2047 and outlined India’s gaps, priority technologies, and staged goals for building a resilient domestic ecosystem.

The presentation outlines a future-oriented national science and technology conclave, its 12 thematic areas, government-wide organization, three-day program, and prominent speakers.

Delivering the Keynote address at the Curtain Raiser event on the upcoming ESTIC 2026, to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, on October 27, Dr. B K  Das, Distinguished Scientist and Director General Electronics and Communication Systems, Defence Research and Development Organisation ( DRDO), on the role of the defence technology ecosystem, he acknowledged DRDO leaders, researchers, technology developers, defence-system users, financial support, and the press, emphasizing collaboration from initial vision through production and deployment.

SSPL was recognized for developing semiconductor building blocks used in systems such as LRB radars and CASI jammers and electronic warfare systems.

ESTIC 2026 Das presented as a national effort supported by government leadership and intended to advance India’s transition from Atmanirbhar Bharat to Viksit Bharat.

Defence self-reliance as a foundation for peace

India’s goal, as described by Das, is to fight with systems designed, developed, trusted, and deployed by India rather than relying on imported weapons.

Das cited Operation Sindoor, saying it concluded in 72 hours and demonstrated the use of Indian systems, including Akash and BrahMos.

A strong domestic technology base was framed as essential to protecting peace: technological capability earns international respect and strengthens India’s ability to advocate for peace, he said.

Das urged scientists, engineers, designers, developers, and manufacturers to innovate and bring products through to deployment.

“Last-mile” indigenization and technology freedom

A product should not be considered fully indigenous if a critical component—such as its core chip, software, or algorithm—depends on imports, even when that component represents only 5% of the product.

The target should be 100% domestic control of critical technology, rather than meeting a particular indigenization percentage such as 60%, 70%, or 80%, Das stated.

Drawing on experience in India’s missile program, the Das recalled that imported systems had been withdrawn when India pursued missile development, and argued that this made technological independence imperative.

Technology freedom was described as the ability to think, design, manufacture, and deploy systems domestically, extending beyond political and economic independence.

From Atmanirbhar Bharat to Viksit Bharat

Comparing 2006 with 2026, Das pointed to India’s shift from importing many weapon systems to developing domestic capabilities and inviting countries to cooperate and invest rather than simply sell products or designs.

The audience was challenged to consider what India could achieve over the next 20 years, with 2047 and the goal of Viksit Bharat as the horizon.

Growth alone was deemed insufficient: reaching that goal requires planning, execution, commitment, and a roadmap, he said.

Self-reliance can reduce imports, but global leadership also requires systems that other countries want to acquire.

Export growth should rely on strong Indian design and avoid critical foreign dependencies that could constrain exports or system availability, Das stated.

Semiconductors, design capability, and the next 20-year roadmap

Das said the semiconductor market was estimated at $600 billion today and $1.5 trillion by 2047, with $200 billion of that future market expected to be served by work from India.

He urged that India should become a global technology-design hub as well as a production hub, attracting Indian-origin talent with opportunities, advanced semiconductor design, and next-generation challenges.

Domestic chip design was presented as critical to future warfare and defence systems; he called for Indian designs tailored to Indian applications and weapon systems, down to the core chip level.

ESTIC was described as a catalyst for identifying priorities, not a complete solution in itself. The work requires DRDO, academia, startups, MSMEs, industries, and incubation and information centres acting as a national ecosystem.

Das urged every stake holder to treat the conference as a starting point and develop a roadmap for the next 20 years, identifying priority technologies and critical building blocks.

India’s semiconductor ambitions include progressing from the cited 100-nanometer, 28-nanometer, and 14-nanometer scales toward 2-nanometer technology by 2047, he said.

Das noted that 6 to 8 fab labs had come up, and said that the Prime Minister was encouraging them.

ESTIC’s three days Conclave with its 1,800 attendees were expected to help shape and spread a shared national message about designing, developing, and delivering defence technology in India.

India’s Semiconductor Self-Reliance Roadmap to Viksit Bharat 2047

Semiconductors as strategic infrastructure

National priorities:Telecommunications, automotive, industrial automation, AI, defence, and aerospace depend on a resilient semiconductor ecosystem that protects digital sovereignty and national security.

Foreign dependence:India relies on foreign sources for more than 90% of semiconductor-related needs, including critical IP and manufacturing inputs.

Design versus ownership:Although India has 20% of the global chip-design workforce, its role has historically centered on design services rather than owning IP.

Imported inputs:More than 90% of required chemicals, pure gases, wafers, machines, and fabrication tools are imported.

Global concentration and India’s capability gaps

Global specialization: The United States is concentrated in electronic design automation, system architectures, advanced chip design, and IP; Taiwan and South Korea lead advanced fabrication; Japan, Europe, and the Netherlands supply key wafers, photoresists, chemicals, and production infrastructure; China has mature capabilities in several fabrication nodes.

Six connected stages:A national capability needs domestic design and EDA, IP, materials and equipment, front-end fabrication, and back-end packaging, supported by security, substrates, high-purity gases, raw materials, and metals.

Manufacturing transition:India is moving from design services toward manufacturing, with Semicon 1 and Semicon 2 initiatives, plants targeting 28-nanometer fabrication, and foundry, ATMP, and OSAT activity. Startups and MSMEs are contributing.

Structural weaknesses:Domestic ownership of IP and local content in chemicals and devices remain low.

Research base:Existing strategic capabilities include DRDO laboratories, the Solid State Laboratory, the Gallium Technology Center in Hyderabad, Star-C in Bengaluru, and Chandigarh Silicon, Sunny Verma Complex Limited. Universities and national laboratories also contribute to compound semiconductors and sensors.

Commercialization gap: India lacks large-scale technology production centers linking manufacturing with R&D. Needed foundations include pilot lines, shared clean rooms, process engineering, and common IP infrastructure for civil, defence, and space applications.

Staged goals and enabling conditions

By 2030:Achieve self-reliance in strategic mature nodes such as 28 nanometers and produce 10% of domestic chip demand in India.

By 2035:Develop accelerators and AI high-bandwidth devices, build export potential, and meet domestic value-addition goals.

Longer-term leadership:Lead in selected domains, including 3D structures and 3-nanometer technologies; establish at least two world-class foundries among the global top 10; and contribute at least 20% in high-cost niche technologies.

Investment and partnerships: Semiconductor manufacturing requires substantial upfront CapEx and long payback periods. Progress also depends on domestic IP, commercialization pathways, resilient supply chains, and partnerships—not a single organization acting alone.

Materials resilience:Domestic supply of chemicals, gases, and other production materials is essential to reduce supply-chain vulnerability.

Differentiated opportunities:Open silicon and AI ecosystems could support high-bandwidth modules for edge devices and data centers. India generates 20% of global data, but has capacity for only 3% of data centers that can store it, indicating a need to expand data-center infrastructure.

Priority technologies and strategic applications

Compound semiconductors:Potential uses include renewable energy, radar, and power-conversion devices; indium phosphide was identified for terahertz applications.

Advanced packaging:2.5D and 3D packaging, compound-semiconductor packaging, and specialized packaging are needed to meet domestic requirements and support frontier technologies.

Emerging computing:Quantum, neuromorphic, and molecular computing are cited as important future technology areas.

Trusted fabrication: Domestic IP, open architectures, mainstream CMOS, and a trusted silicon-based foundry are needed for strategic assurance and a pathway toward more advanced fabrication.

Strategic sensors: IR detectors and focal-plane arrays should be built domestically because access to these technologies can be denied by other countries. Supporting needs include high-vacuum facilities, wafer-level encapsulation, and glass-to-silicon cavity interposers.

Applications and infrastructure: Inertial navigation, defence timing, and IoT sensor hubs require expansion of commercial MEMS and specialized wafer-level packaging.

Potential IP leadership:Quantum and photonic ICs, neuromorphic computing, and CMOS-compatible design kits were identified as promising areas. The technologies should be energy-efficient and support AI at the edge, data-center interfaces, and other AI hardware.

Overall direction:Front-end fabs, packaging scale-up, and R&D must advance together to support the stated ambition of reaching third place in semiconductor technology.

Future-Focused Science and Technology Conclave: Themes, Organization, and Program

ESTIC-2026-A future-focused national conclave

The conclave is framed around future technologies and possibilities, rather than past achievements.

Unlike established conferences such as the Indian Science Congress, the conclave uses a distinct, forward-looking format aligned with India’s ambition to become a developed nation by 2047.

Its theme is “Creative Minds, Catalyzing Science and Empowering Technologies.”

The approach is described as “whole of government, whole of the nation,” with participation intended from across India and from technology-related fields.

Organization and thematic areas

The overall vision is attributed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh steering the conclave and the Principal Scientific Adviser providing guidance.

Scientific ministries and departments, including the Ministry of Education, are involved as co-organizers. CSIR holds primary organizing responsibility this year; that responsibility is expected to rotate to another department in future years, with DRDO given as an example.

The program includes 12 thematic areas, reflecting major technology and emerging fields.

The session areas and coordinating bodies:

Advanced manufacturing — CSIR

Energy technologies — Department of Atomic Energy

Systems and synthetic biology — Department of Biotechnology

Ocean science and maritime technologies — Ministry of Earth Sciences

Intelligent networks and quantum communication — Department of Telecommunications

Semiconductors and “Naxal Chips” — DRDO (

AgriTech, food systems and nutrition — ICAR

Generative and autonomous AI — MeitY

Autonomous systems, physical AI and robotics — Department of Science and Technology

Preventive medicine and advanced healthcare — ICMR and AYUSH

Immersive technology, generative XR and spatial computing

Space science — Department of Space

The 7 plenary speakers, 6 panelists in a presenter’s category, 26 invited speakers, 72 panelists, and 12 keynote speakers.

Three-day program and expected outcomes

Day 1: An inaugural session, followed by a 60-minute plenary panel chaired by the Principal Scientific Adviser, two plenary talks, and three technical sessions; a cultural program is planned for the evening.

Day 2: Three plenary talks and six parallel sessions, split between morning and afternoon. A networking dinner and an evening program associated with the Ministry of Finance.

Day 3: A panel talk and three technical or panel sessions precede the concluding program. Recommendations from speakers across the thematic areas are to be consolidated into a document and presented to the minister; awards are also planned.

Featured speakers and panel

The speaker lineup is said to include three Nobel laureates and other prominent academics.

The plenary panel after the inauguration is described as lasting about an hour and chaired by Principal Scientific Adviser Professor Ajay Sood.