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SEMICON India 2026

Three Days at the Heart of a Growing Industry

For three days, SEMICON India 2026 brought together companies, policymakers, investors, research institutions and industry professionals from around the world in New Delhi.

With more than 600 participating companies from 52 countries, the event showed both the scale of India’s semiconductor ambitions and the growing international interest in the country’s technology ecosystem.

Nearly the entire semiconductor value chain was represented on the exhibition floor: from chip design, equipment and manufacturing to packaging, research, infrastructure and talent development.

This was WorldEmp’s first time at SEMICON India. Frank Korf, Noortje van Sambeek and Chris van der Deijl attended on behalf of WorldEmp to see these developments firsthand and speak with the companies and organisations helping to shape the industry’s growth.

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WorldEmp joined SEMICON India as part of the Netherlands Pavilion, alongside more than twenty Dutch companies and organisations.

Before the exhibition officially opened, participants gathered for the Dutch delegation’s kick-off. The programme included presentations, introductions and discussions about developments in India’s semiconductor industry and opportunities for further cooperation between the Netherlands and India.

WorldEmp also contributed to the programme. Noortje van Sambeek spoke about building strong semiconductor ecosystems, focusing on technical talent, workforce development, collaboration between industry and education, and international mobility.

The day ended with a reception and dinner at the residence of Marisa Gerards, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to India.

It was a strong start to the week and an opportunity for the Dutch delegation to get to know one another before three busy days at the exhibition. It also showed the breadth of expertise the Netherlands has to offer across the semiconductor value chain.

From the moment SEMICON India began, the pace of development in India’s semiconductor industry was clear.

The exhibition brought together established international companies, emerging Indian businesses, government representatives, technology companies and research institutions. It showed an industry advancing on several fronts at once.

New manufacturing facilities are being planned and built. International companies are investing and expanding. Government programmes are supporting the development of local capabilities, while new partnerships are forming around technology, research and supply chains.

But the conversations went beyond manufacturing capacity. They also covered the wider foundations of a strong and resilient semiconductor ecosystem: research and development, chip design, specialist equipment, reliable infrastructure, knowledge sharing and access to qualified professionals.

Het Netherlands Pavilion groeide tijdens de beurs uit tot een ontmoetingsplek voor bedrijven en professionals die meer wilden weten over het Nederlandse semiconductor ecosysteem.

In drie dagen sprak het WorldEmp team met organisaties die zich in verschillende fases van hun ontwikkeling in India bevinden. Sommige bedrijven oriënteren zich nog op de markt. Andere hebben al lokale klanten, partners of activiteiten en kijken naar hun volgende groeifase.

Eén onderwerp kwam daarbij steeds terug: de ambities van de industrie groeien snel, maar om die ambities waar te maken zijn mensen nodig met de juiste technische en specialistische kennis.

De semiconductorindustrie vraagt om hooggespecialiseerde functies op het gebied van onder andere chipdesign, modelling, verification, application engineering en manufacturing. Tegelijkertijd hebben groeiende organisaties ook expertise nodig op het gebied van kwaliteit, documentatie, projectmanagement, compliance, finance en andere ondersteunende disciplines.

SEMICON India liet daarmee zien dat talentontwikkeling niet losstaat van de groei van de industrie. Het is een van de voorwaarden die bepaalt hoe snel en duurzaam het ecosysteem zich kan ontwikkelen.

Throughout the exhibition, the Netherlands Pavilion became a meeting place for companies and professionals interested in learning more about the Dutch semiconductor ecosystem.

Over three days, the WorldEmp team spoke with organisations at different stages of their development in India. Some are still exploring the market. Others already have local customers, partners or operations and are considering their next phase of growth.

One topic came up repeatedly: the industry’s ambitions are growing quickly, but realising them requires people with the right technical and specialist skills.

The semiconductor industry needs highly specialised professionals in areas such as chip design, modelling, verification, application engineering and manufacturing. At the same time, growing organisations need expertise in quality, documentation, project management, compliance, finance and other supporting functions.

SEMICON India showed that talent development is closely tied to the industry’s growth. It is one of the factors that will determine how quickly and sustainably the ecosystem can develop.

Alongside our presence at the exhibition, WorldEmp and NXP Semiconductors hosted an executive breakfast titled How to Start and Scale in India.

Hitesh Garg, VP and India Country Manager at NXP Semiconductors, and Frank Korf, CEO and co-founder of WorldEmp, shared their practical experience with Dutch business leaders and decision-makers.

The session focused on what companies encounter when establishing and growing operations in India. The discussion covered culture, local leadership, quality, intellectual property and compliance.

Rather than focusing only on the opportunities India offers, the conversation explored what building and scaling a business there means in practice. The companies attending also shared their own questions and experiences, creating an open and practical discussion.

The main takeaway was clear: India offers significant opportunities, but making the most of them requires preparation, local knowledge and strong partnerships.

One of the clearest takeaways from SEMICON India was the potential for closer cooperation between the Netherlands and India.

The Dutch semiconductor ecosystem brings technological expertise, specialist equipment, research and experience across different parts of the value chain. India combines technical talent and scale with a fast-growing market and significant investment in the industry’s development.

The Netherlands Pavilion provided a visible platform for bringing these strengths together. Dutch companies and organisations could present their expertise, learn more about developments in India and begin conversations with potential partners.

Just as valuable was the opportunity to exchange experiences and better understand one another’s ambitions. For WorldEmp, this was one of the most meaningful parts of the event. International cooperation begins with meeting people, sharing knowledge and discovering where each side can strengthen the other.

Een van de duidelijkste conclusies van SEMICON India was de potentie voor verdere samenwerking tussen Nederland en India.

Het Nederlandse semiconductor ecosysteem brengt technologische expertise, specialistische equipment, onderzoek en ervaring in verschillende delen van de waardeketen. India combineert technisch talent en schaal met een snelgroeiende markt en grote investeringen in de verdere ontwikkeling van de sector.

Het Netherlands Pavilion bood een zichtbaar platform om die sterke punten bij elkaar te brengen. Nederlandse bedrijven en organisaties konden hun expertise presenteren, meer leren over de ontwikkelingen in India en nieuwe gesprekken starten met mogelijke partners.

Minstens zo belangrijk was de ruimte om ervaringen uit te wisselen en elkaars ambities beter te begrijpen. Voor WorldEmp was dat een van de meest waardevolle onderdelen van het evenement. Internationale samenwerking begint uiteindelijk bij elkaar ontmoeten, kennis delen en ontdekken waar je elkaar kunt versterken.

A special thank you to High Tech NL, the Netherlands Embassy in India and RVO for organising the Dutch participation and giving the Netherlands a strong presence in New Delhi.

We also thank NXP Semiconductors and Hitesh Garg for collaborating with us on our executive breakfast.

SEMICON India may be over, but many of the conversations that began in New Delhi are just getting started. For WorldEmp, the next step is to continue those conversations and explore how our experience in both the Netherlands and India can help companies turn opportunities into concrete action.

Are you considering India as part of your growth strategy, looking to expand your existing operations or exploring what Indian technical talent could bring to your organisation? Get in touch. We would be happy to share our experience.