Indian tech industry bodies call for joint work to achieve national goals at Semicon India 2026
Technology industry bodies representing electronic components, semiconductor, IT hardware and mobile device companies have called for a unified approach to achieve goals set by the government.
This is the first time major industry bodies, semiconductor groupings Semi and Indian Electronics and Semiconductor Association (IESA), mobile device makers body Indian Electronics and Cellular Association, IT hardware body MAIT and electronics components grouping Elcina came together at the event to explore mechanisms to work together.
Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw appealed to industry bodies to work together to develop a complete electronic product, designed and manufactured in India.
Semi India and IESA President Ashok Chandak said he reached out to all the fellow associations, and all of them very respectfully agreed to extend their logos and join hands in the exhibition.
"I think there is always room to grow and room to improve. We have to look at how we do this better next year. I want to highlight here that, though each of the associations has evolved in its own way and has its own strong positioning. We need to look at each other through a non-competitive approach and more as a collaborative approach," Chandak said.
He said industry associations don't compete, but sometimes people view it as a competition from outside.
"It is not a question of competition among the associations here. Don't look at us as if we are competing with each other. We are collaborating, and we need to collaborate. Maybe our collaborations are not fully visible so far.
"We need to work together, perhaps evolve some mechanisms for collaboration because finally, from a national agenda perspective, various associations are like dots. They must be connected properly," Chandak said.
Electronics industry bodies have mostly been divided on taxation and policy matters.
Industry bodies that represent product companies have often pushed for reduction of duties on parts or components, but those dealing with electronic components favour higher import duty on parts that are used for making devices.
Industry bodies called for holding exhibitions and trade shows alongside each other and in one city to enhance collaboration and participation.
ICEA chairman Pankaj Mohindroo said that soon there will be a trade show on electronics export, the Bharat Electronic Manufacturing and Export Summit (BEMES).
"The idea, which actually flows down from the Prime Minister, is that we should have very large shows. The objective now is that we will have these alongside. There is a strong possibility that BEMES, Semicon and the Indian Mobile Congress can be held alongside," Mohindroo said.
He added that the impact and the strong synergies in electronics, supply chains and semiconductors can be leveraged.
"There are also synergies with the Indian Mobile Congress. And these three being held together will create a very large platform. Each show can have its own identity, but let them be held together. All the verticals have to be addressed in an institutionalised manner with support from ITPO, the Department of Commerce and MeitY," Mohindroo said.
Global semiconductor industry body Semi President and CEO Ajit Manocha proposed to set up a steering committee under which all industry bodies can work in coordination.
"It is not in the best interest of the nation to have divisions within the country. My recommendation would be that we create a permanent steering committee like this where we do not let those kinds of divides happen in the future," he said.
Elcina Secretary General Rajoo Goel said integration is important to achieve scale but shared a different view that the semiconductor and electro-mechanical chain can work together, but IMC (India Mobile Congress) is a service-driven event and unable to see any synergies with the electronics segment.
"Capacities can be financed, but capability has to be earned. We should move ahead and work towards a goal."
MAIT Director General Suhail Zaidi said that the national priorities have been clarified and now it is the industry associations' role to make it the industry's agenda.
