Setting a high-speed roadmap for technological self-reliance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (August 15) announced that India will establish five to eight additional semiconductor plants over the next seven to eight years, building on the three facilities that have already begun exporting.

Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 80th Independence Day, the Prime Minister framed semiconductor manufacturing as the cornerstone of India’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ mission, warning that no country can afford foreign dependence in an era driven by digital technology.

“In today’s digital world and technological landscape, we understand the immense importance of chips,” PM Modi said, pointing to their critical role in electronics, medical devices, and transit networks. “Without them, the world would come to a standstill.”

Underscoring the recent shift from policy discussions to ground-level manufacturing, PM Modi noted that India has already broken ground with three operational facilities sending products overseas. He added that the upcoming pipeline of five to eight new fabrication and testing units over the next decade will firmly position the country as a major global player.

The Prime Minister tied the semiconductor push to a broader manufacturing and digital transformation over the last 12 years. He noted that electronics manufacturing has grown nearly sevenfold, mobile phone production has surged 33-fold, and defence output has increased fourfold.

On the digital and innovation front, PM Modi highlighted that the country’s internet user base has quadrupled, patent grants have grown fourfold, and digital transactions have expanded a hundredfold over the last decade.

Citing deep structural reforms to support this industrial expansion, PM Modi said thousands of compliance burdens have been eliminated and outdated laws repealed, arguing that modern governance cannot rely on regulations from the previous century.

He also highlighted acceleration in public infrastructure and basic amenities, including a 15-fold increase in the annual rate of tap-water connection provision and rapid expansion of urban metro networks and public housing.

Catch latest updates with CNBC-TV18.com’s blog