Dr Priti Adani calls for closer links between education, research and industry as India expands its chip manufacturing and artificial intelligence capacity.

Ahmedabad, 24 October 2026: India’s plans to expand semiconductor manufacturing and artificial intelligence infrastructure will require a larger pool of skilled engineers, stronger university research and closer ties between industry and education, Dr Priti Adani said at CHIPS 2026, held at Adani University in Ahmedabad on Saturday.

Addressing academics, industry representatives and students, Dr Adani stressed the need to prepare people who can design, develop and improve the technologies behind modern computing. She also outlined Adani University’s plans to develop semiconductor-related education and research as part of its proposed multidisciplinary campus in Ahmedabad.

Her address comes as Gujarat takes on a growing role in India’s semiconductor plans. Projects in Dholera and Sanand form part of the national effort to build domestic chip manufacturing capacity and reduce dependence on overseas supply chains.

The event brought together distinguished guests, including Neha Kumari, Gursharan Singh, Raghu Panicker and Hitesh Garg, along with academic colleagues and students. The gathering focused on the skills and research needed to support India’s growing semiconductor sector.

Dr Adani explained that producing a semiconductor chip requires much more than advanced machinery. It depends on years of research, specialised materials, precise manufacturing methods and trained workers. Building a strong industry therefore requires progress in several connected areas, from chip design to production and packaging.

The Government of India launched the India Semiconductor Mission to support domestic manufacturing and develop the wider electronics industry. The programme has a financial outlay of ₹76,000 crore under the scheme for the development of semiconductor and display manufacturing.

Gujarat has secured a place in this effort through projects in Dholera and Sanand. Tata Electronics is developing a semiconductor fabrication plant in Dholera, while Micron Technology has established a semiconductor assembly and testing facility in Sanand. Other approved projects in the state are expected to add further manufacturing and packaging capacity.

These activities matter because chips are used in mobile phones, computers, cars, industrial equipment and telecommunications systems. A stronger domestic supply chain could support electronics production in India, create technical jobs and reduce some risks linked to overseas supply disruptions. However, semiconductor manufacturing requires large amounts of capital, reliable utilities, specialised equipment and years of technical development.

Dr Adani linked the semiconductor sector to the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI), which requires large amounts of computing power. Behind AI services are chips that process information, servers that run applications, data centres that store and handle information, and electricity systems that keep these facilities operating.

The Adani Group has announced a commitment to invest US$100 billion in renewable-energy-powered AI infrastructure by 2035. The announcement, made by Group Chairman Gautam Adani in February 2026, covers AI-ready data centres and related infrastructure. The group expects the investment to attract a further US$150 billion in associated industries, including server manufacturing and cloud services.

A separate partnership between Google and AdaniConneX is taking shape in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Google announced an investment of about US$15 billion over five years, from 2026 to 2030, for an AI hub combining data centres, computing capacity, energy infrastructure and international undersea cable connections. Construction began in April 2026, with Nxtra by Airtel also involved in the project.

These plans show why electricity supply and energy use have become major concerns for the AI industry. Large data centres need continuous power and cooling systems. Renewable energy can help meet some of this demand, although companies must also manage the cost of electricity, water use and the reliability of supply.

For Adani University, the expansion of both industries creates a need for specialised education. Dr Adani said the university plans to develop its new multidisciplinary campus in Ahmedabad and strengthen teaching and research in semiconductor design, manufacturing and packaging. She also referred to executive education for industry professionals, faculty development and specialised courses for young engineers.

Her address placed particular emphasis on the connection between university research and practical industrial needs. She invited industry representatives to bring unresolved technical problems to university classrooms and laboratories, giving researchers and students opportunities to work on issues faced by businesses.

One area of possible research is data centre cooling. Better cooling methods could reduce electricity use and operating costs. Similar work on chip design, materials and packaging could help engineers improve the performance of electronic devices.

Students, she said, should learn to question existing methods and develop their own solutions. She encouraged them to keep working on difficult problems, even when answers are not immediately available.

India’s growing investment in semiconductors and AI infrastructure will require universities to keep pace with changing industry needs. Equipment and buildings can provide the research setting, but progress also depends on trained people who can use the facilities and develop new ideas.

At future CHIPS conferences, Dr Adani said she hoped discussions would cover research findings, partnerships and the work of young people whose ideas had improved lives. Her closing message returned to the role of human judgement in the use of technology, arguing that the value of AI would depend on how wisely people developed and applied it.

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