ELE Times

Aheesa Digital Innovations, a fabless semiconductor company, and The Zigma Technologies India, an Indian technology, software, and e-governance services company, have entered into a partnership with Zigma as the distribution partner to take VIHAAN-I, a first-of-its-kind indigenous networking chip, to market across India. Signed in the nation’s financial capital Mumbai, this agreement brings together Aheesa’s design capability with Zigma’s to carry indigenous silicon to the market across India and beyond.

The partnership follows Aheesa’s successful VIHAAN-I tape-out on Republic Day (January 2026) and first-pass silicon success in August 2026, achieved on its very first attempt. This chip will help reduce dependence on imported networking silicon and support locally manufactured broadband devices. Taking a chip like this into the country’s networks calls for a partner already embedded in the systems, and Zigma has spent close to three decades in precisely that terrain, delivering technology and e-governance infrastructure to OEMs, ODMs and government departments nationwide.

The chip will now proceed towards production, targeted for 2027. This will be a significant milestone in India’s efforts to build a homegrown semiconductor ecosystem, closely aligned with the Government of India’s Digital India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.

“This is a defining decade for India’s semiconductor story, as we move from technology consumption to technology creation,” said Sridharan Mani, Founder and CEO, Aheesa Digital Innovations. “At Aheesa, we dream beyond boundaries — building the capabilities, scale and industry that will shape India’s semiconductor future. It is our vision to see Indian-designed chips serving both domestic and global markets. The partnership with Zigma brings together two companies with complementary strengths and a shared ambition for a Viksit Bharat.”

“Zigma has worked at the intersection of technology and public infrastructure, building the systems that carry India’s digital services to its people,” said Raja Kathiravan, Managing Director, The Zigma Technologies India (P) Limited. “Indigenous silicon is the natural next layer of that infrastructure. In VIHAAN-I, we saw a homegrown broadband chip we could take straight into the systems we help build and in Aheesa, a partner who shares our conviction about what Indian engineering can achieve. Together, we intend to put Indian silicon at the heart of the country’s digital backbone.”

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Infineon Technologies AG today announced the acquisition of C2i Semiconductors, a Bangalore-based technology company specializing in software-defined multiphase controllers and smart power stages for AI data center applications. C2i Semiconductors’ technology complements Infineon’s leading portfolio of power semiconductors and power systems, enabling intelligent and scalable power delivery architectures from grid to core for AI servers and high-performance computing platforms. The acquisition further strengthens Infineon’s top position in power solutions for AI data centers while expanding its engineering capabilities in India and reinforcing the country’s role as a strategic innovation hub. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of calendar year 2026.

“This acquisition will further strengthen Infineon’s leadership in power solutions for AI data centers and create a new center of excellence for digital power technologies in India,” said Adam White, President of Infineon’s Power Systems (PS) division. “C2i Semiconductors brings exceptional expertise in software-defined power management and system-level power architectures, backed by a proven highly experienced engineering team with decades of combined industry experience. With this acquisition, we will accelerate innovation in power delivery solutions for AI data centers, expand our capabilities in next-generation vertical power delivery architectures, and create significant value for our customers.”

“We founded C2i Semiconductors with the vision of bringing greater intelligence to power delivery systems and addressing the growing power challenges of AI infrastructure. Joining Infineon gives us access to world-class semiconductor technologies, manufacturing capabilities, and global customer relationships. Together, we can accelerate the development of software-defined power architectures and bring our innovations to customers worldwide,” says Ram Anant, Founder & CEO of C2i Semiconductors.

Software-defined power solutions combine advanced power semiconductors with intelligent digital control and software algorithms to optimize power conversion, regulation and system performance in real time. As increasingly powerful AI processors create highly dynamic and rapidly changing power demands, power delivery systems must respond faster and more precisely to sudden load fluctuations while maintaining efficiency and system stability. By adding intelligence to the power delivery architecture, software-defined solutions help data center operators improve efficiency, reduce power losses, and support the increasing power density requirements of next-generation AI processors. C2i Semiconductors’ technology takes a system-level approach to power delivery, spanning the path from grid to core and enabling more intelligent and adaptive power architectures for AI infrastructure.

The acquisition combines C2i Semiconductors’ digital power expertise with Infineon’s global scale, application know-how and broad portfolio of power semiconductors, including silicon, silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) technologies, as well as vertical power delivery solutions, paving the way to future Substrate Integrated Voltage Regulators (SIVR). Together, the companies will accelerate innovation in AI power delivery systems and support the growing performance and efficiency requirements of next-generation AI infrastructure.

In addition, the transaction adds highly specialized expertise in software-defined power management to Infineon’s global R&D network and further strengthens its innovation capabilities in India. Infineon currently employs approximately 2,800 employees in India – one of the world’s most dynamic semiconductor and technology ecosystems.

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₹62,500 crore Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme (MPMS) has been notified by the Government of India in a new policy impetus to accelerate domestic mobile-phone manufacturing, increase local value addition, and firm up the electronics manufacturing in India. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has notified the scheme on 21 August 2026 and it is effective from 01 April 2026 for a term of five years to end in FY2030-31.

This fresh programme is set up after the existing Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Large Scale Electronics Manufacturing was put into effect in March 2026. Although the previous programme was responsible in placing India as a huge centre of mobile production as well as export, MPMS’ new programme emphasizes more on the domestic value added, on locating the components and developing native mobile brands.

Under the MPMS, eligible mobile-phone makers may avail of incentives from 2.25 per cent to 5 per cent on eligible sales in the relevant category and conditions. The scheme also offers an additional incentive of up to 1.5 per cent for domestic sourcing of certain key components and sub-assemblies. Also, Indian brands are given additional support for product design and R&D, with a 3 per cent incentive on eligible sales as per the relevant scheme guidelines.

In terms of technology and manufacturing, local sourcing is of greater consequence. Increased component localisation would promote investment across printed circuit boards, camera module, display, batteries, mechanical components and other electronic sub-assemblies. This would help shift the Indian electronics industry gradually beyond final assembly towards higher value manufacturing and a stronger local supply chain.

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India and Japan are looking to expand collaboration on semiconductor, electronics, and other high-technology industries with the largest ever business delegation to Japan, led by the Union Ministry for Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal. More than 200 business members make up the 4-day delegation to the visit that will take place from August 24 to August 27 in the cities of Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka.

The visit coincides with a period when India is increasing its domestic capabilities to set up semiconductor manufacturing facilities and electronic value chains, while Japan is a leading global source of semiconductor inputs, equipment, and technology. FICCI is organising the business mission to explore new opportunities for cooperation in high-technology and cutting-edge sectors, including semiconductors and electronics. FICCI Director General Jyoti Vij said that the organisation expects several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to be signed during the visit.

The delegation includes representatives from a diverse number of sectors-ranging from manufacturing to semiconductors to clean energy and steel to automotive, financial services, healthcare and start-ups. The program is expected to encompass over 200 business-to-business meetings, dedicated networking sessions and about 15 site visits, providing platforms for Indian and Japanese firms to pursue possibilities for investment and technical and supply chain collaboration.

Far from an expansion of India-Japan trade alone, the business mission, particularly focusing on semiconductors and electronics, can also lead to a new phase of opportunities for tech transfer, industrial investment and new supply chain arrangements.

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The JSW Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Smart Grid and Automation was formally launched at MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology (MSRIT) Bengaluru, marking a significant step towards strengthening India’s power infrastructure for the renewable energy era.

The JSW-CoE has been jointly established by JSW Group, Sharika Enterprises and MSRIT to address one of the most pressing challenges in the power sector today-maintaining grid stability amid the rapid growth of renewable energy.

India has made remarkable progress in adding solar, wind and Battery Storage Systems (BeSS). However, renewable energy brings variability and uncertainty that traditional grid systems were not originally designed to handle. This has created a gap between renewable energy generation, grid stability and market participation. The JSW-CoE has been set up with a clear purpose to bridge this gap through advanced system modelling, automation, analytics and real-time simulation.

As per National smart grid mission under RDSS GOI has to establish several Centre of excellence in flexible power system across country to enhance capabilities in advanced power management practices to enhance operational efficiency and sustainability across our RE aggregation ecosystems. This Centre of Excellence in Power Systems reflects the commitment to strengthening the national grid infrastructure at a critical time. As renewable energy capacity grows, grid systems must become smarter, more stable and more market-ready. This initiative aims to support innovation, industry collaboration and the development of skilled professionals who can manage the complex power systems of the future.

The JSW-CoE operates on a unique Lab-as-a-Service model. JSW Group has funded the capital investment required to establish the advanced laboratory infrastructure. Sharika Enterprises has designed, set up and will manage the operations of the lab, drawing on its deep expertise in power automation, protection systems, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and international communication protocols such as IEC 61850 and IEC 60870. MSRIT hosts the JSW-CoE and provides the academic ecosystem to support research, certification and long-term skill development. The JSW-CoE has been structured as a non-profit entity, with a clear focus on capability building rather than commercial returns.

Mr. Rajinder Kaul, Chairman and Managing Director, Sharika Enterprises, said, “The power sector is undergoing a structural transformation. Utilities, renewable developers and system operators need access to real-world testing environments before deploying solutions in the field. This Centre has a capability to simulate a complete power system within a controlled lab environment, enabling stakeholders to simulate grid conditions, test automation solutions and prepare for market participation. Our goal is to build both technology readiness and human capability for the smart grids of tomorrow.”

The facility is designed to replicate generation, transmission and distribution systems in an integrated setup. It includes SCADA and dispatcher systems, renewable energy management platforms, PMU-based protection and wide-area monitoring and tools for real-time load flow studies, contingency analysis and energy market simulations. Industry players, startups, utilities and researchers can access the lab at a reasonable cost to test systems, validate solutions and prepare for deployment.

Convergence of academia and industry:

Beyond technology development, the Centre will focus strongly on skill building. Engineers of the future must understand power systems, communication protocols, real-time data management, automation, artificial intelligence and energy trading mechanisms. Through masters, certification courses and industry-linked projects, the JSW-CoE aims to create a pipeline of professionals equipped for India’s evolving power landscape.

Lauding the JSW-CoE, Dr. N V R Naidu, Principal, MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology, said, “The launch of the JSW-CoE at MSRIT represents a powerful convergence of academia and industry. As the power sector evolves with renewable integration and digital technologies, it is essential that our students and researchers gain hands-on exposure to real-world grid systems, automation platforms and advanced simulation environments. This collaboration will enable MSRIT to nurture the next generation of engineers who can contribute meaningfully to India’s smart grid and energy transition journey.”

The launch of the JSW-CoE positions Bengaluru as a growing hub for smart grid innovation and advanced power system research. By bringing together industry investment, academic strength and technical expertise, the initiative seeks to support India’s long-term power transition and ensure that renewable growth is matched by grid intelligence and market readiness.

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The United States finalized two Joint High Energy Laser Weapon System contracts with nLIGHT Defence and Lockheed Martin Aculight on 9 th July 2026. This programme’s first contract awards are worth around $86 million, and its potential value is $847 million. With the help of this experimental display to be production-ready to oppose drone technologies along with travelling defence systems. High-energy lasers should be operating at the power range between 150 kilowatts for current designs and between 300 and 500 kilowatts required for advanced cruising defence engagement targets. Another incorporated system to operate at 500 kilowatts would be designed with the aid of tech established by the High Energy Laser Scaling Initiative.

Unlike interceptors, laser-powered weapons fire with no projectiles, travelling at the speed of light, and don’t need to launch missiles with every shot. So long as you have electricity for power, and a way to cool it down, a laser can have almost an effectively infinite capacity, and relatively low per-shot costs, perfect for swarms of large drones. The laser weapons will be relatively large and come in a modular, containerised format for placement on top of ground-based vehicles and for warships. The major hurdles to overcome include the effects of intervening air on the beam, focusing the weapons, getting it to cool down effectively, and consistently generating enough electricity.

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India has deployed indigenous sonars on board two newly inducted warships- the guided-missile stealth frigate INS Dunagiri and the anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft INS Agray- which were commissioned in Kolkata on 21 st June 2026, carrying more than 75% indigenous equipment. The sonar systems have been designed by the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory, Kochi, of DRDO, and are manufactured by Bharat Electronics. INS Dunagiri is fitted with the HUMSA system known as HUMSA-2020, which is otherwise known as HUMSA-NG Mk II, employing contemporary electronics architecture for the purpose of long-range underwater detection and target acquisition capability. It has already undergone laboratory, factory, and ship-acceptance tests, and the sonar systems have been successfully accepted for deployment on board Indian Naval platforms.

INS Agray is equipped with Abhay PG shallow-water sonar suite. It is a light, hull-mounted suite that is meant for service in the littoral zones, where underwater terrain variations, reefs, shallow waves reflection and civilian ships produce lots of underwater acoustic clutter and acoustic interference. The sonar suite will be installed on 16 shallow water boats. It is to act as the underwater ‘ears and eyes of vessels’ to help track, classify and hunt submarines and other underwater threats, thereby aiding its anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities, while minimizing India’s dependence on foreign sensors.

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The British company MGI Engineering is developing TigerShark- an autonomous, long-range offensive drone seen as a cheaper solution than cruise missiles. TigerShark is inspired by innovations from Formula One racing and other advanced engineering sectors, allowing it to serve as a quickly assembled, highly modular unmanned aircraft. Apparently, TigerShark is 5.5 meters in length, with a wingspan of 4.3 metres, and powered by two small turbojet engines. The aircraft is launched by a rocket booster from a mobile ground installation, can reach a speed of 750 kilometres per hour, can be equipped with up to 300 kilograms of modular loads, and can fly to a distance of about a thousand or more kilometres.

Aircraft include Auterion Skynode flight computer along with software. Inertial navigation and terrain-following are conceived to aid operation in areas of GPS-denied or interference. The weapon’s modular payloads bay is said to be large enough for traditional, EW or specialized warheads. Groups of TigerShark would be considered for an attack in an attempt to overwhelm and force an enemy air defence net and/or to prosecute a specific high-value target. These announced capabilities and production plans are expected to undergo additional development and client evaluation. This program is similar to the growing trend of developing rapidly produced, cheap, and software-denied deep strike weapon systems.

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Japan’s Ground Self-Defence Force will field test the HX-2 strike drone from Helsing, and the trials will run till the end of the Sept 2026. Rakuten is helping the German defence technology company navigate Japan’s procurement environment to secure a possible supply contract. The HX-2 is a software-defined all-electric loitering munition which could be used to attack artillery, armor, and fixed military targets, has a maximum range of 100 km and a weight of around 12kg; the drone could be configured with multipurpose, anti-tank and anti-structure warheads.

However, its cutting-edge technology is the on-board artificial intelligence; Helsing maintains the drone’s search-reacquisition capability without a persistent data link, allowing it to operate under a jammed satellite navigational and communication system, but critical engagement decisions still rest with man. In addition, HX-2 will integrate with Altra software, which is a reconnaissance-strike system, enabling remotely piloted aircraft (RPVs), reconnaissance, and cooperation with one another. OTA software updates enable the software to meet evolving threats. Thus, it is concluded that Japanese trials reflect the increasing need for a mass-produced UAV in a high electronic warfare domain.

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Germany’s POLARIS Spaceplanes has flown the COBRA 600, an unmanned aircraft designed in collaboration with Diehl Defence as part of the Airborne Launching and Attack System programme. Details of the successful first sortie, a smooth flight of roughly 20km undertaken on 22 August 2026, with subsequent testing to follow, were published in a statement issued that day. The jet-powered, reusable, flying wing aircraft, intended to carry an IRIS-T air-to-air missile beneath an upper-mounted launching rail, has a flight weight of more than 600 kg. The first flight tested the base vehicle and did not involve carrying or launching a weapon.

This application does exactly the same, except for turning missile launches into unmanned aircraft. Using the interceptor closer to where there’s a threat to a plane launched purely from the ground would surely increase effective range and get airborne defence without a manned plane, where usually such defence wouldn’t be present within range of stand-off weapons. They will have to show integration of the missile with the target’s detection system and also a secure command link in order for missiles to be launched safely into the air. This is just the first step in achieving a relatively cheap, distributed drone defence system.

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Indian Railways is planning to offer charging stations for Electric Vehicles at its railway stations. According to a recent notification from the North Central Railways zone, a tender has been floated for the installation of EV charging stations at Prayagraj Junction, Manikpur, and Aligarh railway stations, furthering charging station development at various locations frequented by the masses.

Implementing EV charging infrastructure at railway stations can offer good accessibility and have electrical grid connectivity as they are generally located within main routes. Charging stations at these locations can be used as supplementary points of charging for EVs while contributing to the expansion of public charging infrastructure.

Additionally, the campaign shows the prospects of interconnecting transport infrastructure and energy infrastructure. Railway stations have already got electrical linkages, parking sites, as well as passengers coming in large numbers; and that makes them appropriate spots for charging stations. Such sites could be used for servicing many classes of EVs ranging from passenger cars, commercial vehicles and other forms of electric mobility with varying sizes of charging infrastructure.

The North Central Railway project demonstrates how existing transport infrastructure can support India’s expanding EV charging network. As EV adoption increases, railway stations and other transport hubs could become strategically important charging locations, provided adequate electrical capacity, load management, protection and energy-management systems are deployed. This could help integrate charging infrastructure with existing power networks while improving access to public EV charging.

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JSW MG Motor India is all set to roll out its electric SUV this month. This India-specific electric SUV from SAIC Motor’s Indian arm, will be launched on August 26, 2026. The SUV will be the first production model to feature new technology – MG ADAPT (Advanced Drive Architecture Platform Technology). The modular platform will be able to accommodate different electrified powertrain setups, namely BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicle), HEVs (Hybrid Electric Vehicles), PHEVs (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), and REEVs (Range-Extended Electric Vehicles).

The development represents a wider shift in the automotive industry toward the use of flexible vehicle architectures. Rather than designing separate platforms for different propulsion technologies, a multiple-powertrain architecture enables automakers to present numerous powertrain architectures using a single vehicle architecture. This, potentially, enables car manufacturers to develop vehicles faster and simplify production processes, and manufacturers are more efficiently able to respond to shifts in consumer needs and demands.

The MG ADAPT system combines a dedicated hybrid engine, battery, 10-in-1 Intelligent Electric Drive Unit and electromagnetic dedicated hybrid transmission, with an intelligent energy management system. The intelligent management system controls all the components to allow the vehicle to switch between pure EV, Series Hybrid, Parallel Hybrid and Engine Direct Drive mode as per the situation.

The MG ADAPT platform goes way beyond just another new EV platform. It’s also an example of how automakers are dealing with the complex balancing act of electrification, cost and the need to allow buyers to select vehicles that suit their lifestyles.

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​Omega Seiki Mobility (OSM) has joined hands with ELECTRA AI to bring intelligent battery health services to the EVs in its electric vehicle ecosystem. Through this alliance, real-time tracking of battery health, prediction capabilities, and State of Health (SoH) will be added to OSM’s entire fleet. With the rise of EV adoption in India, battery health, reliability, and performance over its lifespan have become more crucial.

As part of the collaboration agreement, ELECTRA AI’s battery intelligence platform would enhance OSM’s visibility of battery performance and health, and this technology would assist in driving predictive maintenance, vehicle uptime improvements, warranty management and using data to advance product development.

For decades, battery management systems (BMS) have been monitoring parameters like temperature, voltage, and current in a manner to ensure efficient and safe function of the battery pack. With the help of Artificial Intelligence, together with advanced data analytics functionality, it’s possible to go beyond the scope of conventional monitoring by analysing the battery data over time and detect changes occurring in the battery’s condition.

For India’s commercial EV sector, where vehicle uptime directly affects operating economics, intelligent battery monitoring could therefore become an important technology layer. Instead of relying solely on periodic diagnostics, AI-enabled systems can continuously analyse operational data and provide insights into battery behaviour.​

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​Gulf Oil is investing Rs 50 crore to scale up Tirex’s Ahmedabad plant capacity from 1,800 to 3,000 DC fast chargers per year. The expansion enables the company to capture the rising demand in India’s e-bus market while growing its non-lubricant future-mobility portfolio. The company has announced a planned capital expenditure of Rs 50 crore to expand the production capabilities of its EV manufacturing arm, Tirex Transmission Private Limited. The investment will nearly double the annual capacity of Tirex’s Ahmedabad facility to around 3,000 DC fast chargers, up from the current 1,800 units.

This strategic move aims to leverage the rapid volume growth and strong momentum in India’s electric bus and commercial fleet segments. Currently, Gulf Oil holds a 65.18% controlling stake in Tirex Transmission Private Limited. This announcement is expected to raise Tirex’s annual manufacturing capacity to 3,000 DC fast chargers from the current 1,800 units, representing a targeted capacity doubling at Tirex’s Ahmedabad plant. The capacity scaling enhances Tirex’s ability to bid for larger municipal and corporate electric bus charging contracts. A larger manufacturing footprint establishes Tirex as an institutional leader in the localized EV charger manufacturing space​.

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Brandworks Technologies Pvt. Ltd., India’s fastest-growing design-driven and R&D-led electronics manufacturing company, has received approval under the Government of India’s Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) for the manufacturing of speakers and microphones, marking a significant step in the company’s efforts to strengthen domestic electronics component manufacturing and contribute to India’s growing electronics manufacturing ecosystem.

Brandworks’ approval for speakers and microphones places it among the companies being supported under ECMS to build domestic capabilities across critical electronics components. The category forms an important part of the wider electronics value chain, with applications spanning consumer electronics, automotive systems, smart devices, communication equipment and other connected products. The company also holds an exclusive license for Dolby Atmos soundbars in India, further strengthening its capabilities and expertise in the audio technology segment.

Commenting on the development, Ishwar Kumhar, Co-founder and CEO, Brandworks Technologies, said, “The ECMS approval for speakers and microphones marks an important milestone in Brandworks’ journey of contributing to India’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem. Our ongoing engagement with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has been an important part of this journey, and this approval further strengthens our commitment to supporting the Government of India’s vision for a deeper and more self-reliant electronics value chain. We aim to continue working closely with the government and industry stakeholders to accelerate domestic component manufacturing, build advanced capabilities in India and create a stronger, globally competitive electronics ecosystem.”

Nikita Kumawat, Co-founder and Director, Brandworks Technologies, said, “The approval under ECMS is a strong validation of the capabilities we have been building across electronics design, engineering and manufacturing. Speakers and microphones are at the centre of a wide range of connected and consumer electronics products, and developing these capabilities domestically will allow us to contribute greater value across the electronics supply chain. We see this as an opportunity to further strengthen our manufacturing capabilities in India and build solutions that can cater to both domestic and global requirements.”

The approval comes as the Government of India continues to accelerate the development of a deeper and more self-reliant electronics supply chain through ECMS. With the latest round of approvals, 106 projects covering 30 products across 15 states have now been approved under the scheme, representing a total approved investment of ₹69,548 crore and projected production of ₹5,34,101 crore. The scheme is designed to encourage investments across key electronics components, sub assemblies, supply-chain products and capital goods, with a focus on increasing domestic value addition and reducing dependence on imports.

For Brandworks, the latest approval builds on its continued engagement with the Government of India’s efforts to advance the country’s electronics and technology ecosystem. The company has previously partnered with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) through initiatives focused on strengthening India’s capabilities in emerging electronics and technology domains. The ECMS approval further reflects Brandworks’ continued commitment to contributing to the country’s transition towards deeper domestic manufacturing and greater value addition across the electronics supply chain.

The approval also represents an opportunity for Brandworks to further integrate component manufacturing into its electronics manufacturing portfolio while creating capabilities that can support the evolving requirements of India’s fast-growing electronics industry. The company intends to leverage its manufacturing and engineering capabilities to develop scalable production infrastructure for speakers and microphones and support customers across multiple electronics segments.

The development comes at a time when India’s electronics manufacturing sector is witnessing increasing demand for locally manufactured components, driven by the growth of smartphones, wearables, smart consumer devices, automotive electronics, connected devices and other technology-led products.

With the ECMS approval, Brandworks aims to play a larger role in this transition by contributing to a more resilient, locally anchored, and globally competitive electronics supply chain from India, while working closely with the government and industry ecosystem to advance the country’s electronics component manufacturing capabilities.

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India is continuously making efforts to increase its domestic battery production ecosystem amid mounting pressure for electric vehicles (EVs) and energy-storage systems. Announced battery-cell manufacturing projects currently total nearly 100-gigawatt hours (GWh) in capacity, a significant increase from the historical heavy reliance of India on importing the key lithium-ion cells. Still, a significant barrier to bringing on announced cell production and a holistic domestically sourced battery supply chain exists in the country.

The development is particularly important for India’s rapidly growing EV industry, where batteries make up a large portion of the total vehicle cost, directly impacting range, performance and cost-effectiveness. The strengthening of India’s indigenous battery cell manufacturing system could reduce its dependence on global supply chains and support India’s overall aspirations for electric mobility.

Driven by policy initiatives, including the Rs 18,100 crore Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, India has been promoting domestic ACC manufacturing. The programme plans for the manufacturing of large-scale battery cells and also focuses on domestic value addition.

As India’s EVs grow in number, India must develop its capability for large-scale manufacturing. Approaching 100 GWh of announced capacity marks significant progress, but the real hurdle will be turning those announcements into functioning factories, along with developing the domestic technologies and upstream supply chains necessary to make India’s EV battery ecosystem less dependent on the global value chains.

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Exicom Tele-Systems has started production of liquid-cooled AC and DC power modules for EV chargers at its Hyderabad facility. The development marks a huge milestone for Indian EV chargers and power-electronics manufacturing ecosystem in India. It states that it is also the only company in India to manufacture this kind of liquid-cooled power module for markets worldwide.

The development comes as demand for high-power EV charging infrastructure continues to grow. With the EV charging systems trending higher power EV charging solutions, it is getting quite crucial for power electronics systems to handle heat dissipation in power electronic devices. This has come at the launch of liquid-cooled modular power electronic solutions from Exicom to handle the heat dissipation issues in the powerful, compact design system for EV charging solutions.

The EV chargers use power-electronic components to convert and regulate electrical energy before delivering it to the vehicle. These parts produce an extreme amount of heat while charging a vehicle. Conventional methods for cooling with air turn into a major challenge as power density rises, requiring larger cooling systems and greater airflow.

Liquid cooling is generally considered to be the more practical approach for handling the heat created by these high-power electronics. Exicom has previously highlighted liquid-cooled power electronics to be the type of technology that is best fit for high temperature and rugged environments where dust can influence the reliability of the charger.

This latest development with an in-house liquid-cooled power module output at the Hyderabad facility would be Exicom’s first step into more sophisticated, domestically built charging power electronics. Moreover, it shows the increased significance thermal technologies will have as India’s charging infrastructure moves toward more rapid high-speed charging.

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The 30th International Symposium on VLSI Design and Test (VDAT 2026) was inaugurated today at Jaypee Institute of Information Technology (HIT), Noida, bringing together eminent academicians, semiconductor industry leaders, researchers, policymakers and students to deliberate on emerging technologies shaping the future of semiconductor and intelligent computing systems. The three-day symposium is being held from 20-22 August 2026 with the theme “Advancing Intelligent, Secure and Quantum-Ready Semiconductor Systems for the Next Era of Computing.”

The landmark edition is being hosted by JIIT in collaboration with Delhi Technological University (DTU), Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi (HIT-Delhi), Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women (IGDTUW), National Institute of Technology Delhi (NIT Delhi) and Netaji Subhas University of Technology (NSUT), with the support of the VLSI Society of India (VSI) and IEEE Uttar Pradesh Section. VDAT has been a flagship platform of VSI for three decades, connecting researchers, academia and industry in VLSI design, semiconductor technologies, testing, EDA, embedded systems and emerging computing technologies.

The 30th edition is particularly significant as VDAT is being organized in Uttar Pradesh for the first time in its history. Its presence in Noida reflects the growing importance of the Noida—Greater Noida region in India’s electronics, semiconductor, data-centre and advanced-manufacturing landscape, while providing a platform to connect the state’s emerging priorities in electronics manufacturing, semiconductor investment, innovation and high-technology employment with leading researchers and industry.

The inaugural ceremony was graced by Ms. Sunita Verma, Scientist-G and Group Coordinator, R&D Dix4sion, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, as the Chief Guest, and Dr. Kamaljeet Singh, Director General, Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL), Mohali, as the Guest of Honour. The ceremony also witnessed the presence of Prof. S. C. Saxena, Pro-Chancellor, HIT; Prof. Shweta Srix’astava, Director, HIT and General Chair, VDAT 2026; Dr. Satya Gupta, President, VLSI Society of India; Chitra Hariharan, Secretary, VLSI Society of India; Prof. Prateek Sharma, Vice Chancellor, DTU; and Prof. Ranjana Jha, Vice-Chancellor, IGDTUW, among other distinguished guests.

In her address, Ms. Sunita Verma emphasised the strategic importance of India’s semiconductor journey and the need to strengthen capabilities across chip design, fabrication, advanced packaging, testing, materials, equipment and intellectual property. She highlighted the growing significance of Al, edge computing, hardware security, heterogeneous integration, chiplets, silicon photonics and quantum technologies, and stressed collaboration among government, academia, industry, start ups and research institutions.

Dr. Kamaljeet Singh emphasised the strategic importance of strengthening India’s indigenous semiconductor capabilities and developing a robust ecosystem spanning research, design, fabrication and technology deployment. He highlighted stronger academia—industry—government collaboration an essential to accelerating semiconductor innovation and supporting India’s strategic and emerging technology requirements.

Dr. Satya Gupta, President, VLSI Society of India, highlighted that continued evolution of VDAT us a platform for leading researchers, industry experts and students to exchange innovations in VLSI design, semiconductor technologies, testing and system design, 8iid emphasised the relevance of the 2G26 theme to AI, sect hardware, heterogeneous integration and quantum computing.

The inaugural programme featured addresses by Prof. S. C. Saxena, Dr. Satya’ Gupta and Chitra Hariharan, Dr. Kamaljeet Singh, Ms. Sunita Verma and Mr. Hitesh Garg, Vice President and India Managing Director, NXP Semiconductors. It also featured the Synopsys—JIIT Tapeout Initiative, presented by Mr. Amit Khanuja, VP—RD Engineering, IP Group, Synopsys, the unveiling of the VDAT 2026 Proceedings, and inauguration of the Cadence-Certified Laboratory by Ms. Tal Zigman, Global Academic Network, Cadence Design Systems.

The symposium received 441 research papers from 78 institutions, of which 122 papers were accepted, representing an acceptance rate of 27.7%. The research programme covers seven technical tracks addressing contemporary areas of VLSI and semiconductor technology, including circuits and SoC design, embedded systems, AI hardware and design automation, emerging semiconductor devices, advanced integration, hardware security, advanced memory architectures and quantum ready technologies.

The three-day programme also includes keynote addresses, invited talks, tutorials, a PhD Forum, Startup/Chippreneur activities, poster sessions and industry—academia interactions, providing opportunities for researchers and young technology professionals to engage with experts from leading organisations including NXP Semiconductors, Cadence, Synopsys, STMicroelectronics and Renesas.

The symposium marks an important milestone for HIT Noida and the Delhi-NCR academic consortium, providing a platform to showcase the region’s academic and technological capabilities and strengthen connections with India’s growing semiconductor and electronics ecosystem. The organisers expressed their appreciation to the distinguished speakers, participating institutions, industry partners, researchers, reviewers, students and volunteers for their contribution to the successful organisation of VDAT 2026.

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Palo Alto Networks today announced the Frontier AI Critical Defense Program, a first-of-its-kind initiative to protect critical infrastructure from AI-driven exploits. Through the program, leaders across operational technology (OT), healthcare, commercial software and open-source communities coordinate with Palo Alto Networks to deploy proactive & “virtual patches,” neutralizing vulnerabilities at the network-level before attackers can exploit them.

Palo Alto Networks recently used Frontier AI models to uncover more than 14,000 previously unknown vulnerabilities in open source software, underscoring how AI could enable threat actors to automate cyberattacks and shrink attack timelines. Yet, critical infrastructure operators, constrained by strict uptime and safety testing, cannot patch at AI speed. This mismatch creates a significant exposure gap, leaving essential systems vulnerable long before software fixes can be safely deployed.

​​True defense at AI speed requires joint action. This program builds on our existing collaborations with IBM and Red Hat (as part of Lightwell), Microsoft (as part of MAPP) and OT leaders like Siemens and the Idaho National Laboratory (as part of the OT Threat Research Lab).

Today, the collaboration is expanding to include Anthropic, OpenAI, OT leaders like Mitsubishi and Axis Communications, industry consortiums for sharing risk information like Analysis and Resilience Center for Systemic Risk and Health-ISAC, OT research organizations like the independent, non-profit Energy R&D Institute (EPRI) and OSS initiatives like Akrites (an initiative from the Linux Foundation).

Palo Alto Networks Frontier Virtual Patching puts these insights into action to deliver proactive protection for joint customers. By combining Frontier AI threat discovery with trusted vulnerability intelligence, it delivers rapid network-level patches while safeguarding sensitive vulnerability details from attackers.

Lee Klarich, Chief Product Officer, Palo Alto Networks

“In the age of Frontier AI, the traditional, reactive race to build and deploy software patches before adversaries exploit a flaw is a losing battle. Protecting critical infrastructure requires a structural shift from isolated patching to collective, proactive intelligence. Through initiatives like our Frontier AI Critical Defense Program, we can neutralize threats at the network layer before they are weaponized.”

Help safeguard critical infrastructure by joining the expanding Frontier AI Critical Defense Program, today. Visit the website to learn more on how to get involved, or explore Palo Alto Networks broader Frontier AI Defense Initiative.

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ROHM will exhibit at electronica India 2026, South Asia’s leading trade fair for electronic components, systems, applications, and solutions, from September 16th to 18th at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC). At booth I-15 in Hall 3, ROHM will showcase application-focused demonstrations featuring its semiconductor devices and reference designs for mobility and industrial applications.

“Electronica India 2026 will be an important opportunity to demonstrate how ROHM’s power and analog semiconductor technologies contribute to real-world applications across mobility and industrial systems. This year, we will present more application-oriented demonstrations, including a three-wheeled concept vehicle that shows how ROHM semiconductor devices and reference designs can be integrated into mobility systems, as well as reference-design boards for AI server power supplies. Through these exhibits, we aim to foster more application-driven technical discussions with customers and partners in India and support them as they address challenges related to power conversion, energy efficiency, and system design,” says Makoto Terada, Managing Director, ROHM Semiconductor India.

Highlights of ROHM’s presence at electronica India 2026 include:

For Mobility

• The three-wheeled EV concept vehicle demonstrating how ROHM semiconductor devices and
  reference designs can be applied to mobility systems, including motor control, smart instrument
  cluster, and lighting solutions
• Engine control ICs and LED driver ICs for Two-wheeled vehicles
• Sonar demonstrations for automotive applications

For Industrial

• 1.3 kW and 5.5 kW reference designs for AI server power supplies
• Reference designs for power conversion in EV chargers and PV inverters
• Sub-GHz wireless communication LSIs and chiplet-based MCUs
• Use cases for Solist-AI, ROHM’s edge computing AI solution

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