ISIG plans to push advance packaging chip, quantum computing investment in India

Global chip industry body ISIG plans to mobilise investments from advanced packaging firms, equipment makers, ecosystem partners and venture capitalists to fund start-ups in India, a top official of the organisation said on Monday (November 2).

ISIG Co-Founder and CEO Salah Nasri said India is a late entrant to the semiconductor ecosystem, but the India Semiconductor Mission has been a game changer for the country's semiconductor landscape.

"Taking into consideration silicon photonics, mass production is predicted to begin in 2028-29. Co-packaged optics (CPO) is an area where India can enter as quickly as possible," he said.

Nasri said India is one of the fastest-growing markets for data centers, adding that thermal management and power consumption are among the biggest challenges facing the sector. CPO technology can help address these challenges significantly, he said.

"I think from that standpoint, this is an area that we want to push heavily in India and take full advantage of where the technology is going in that region. There is still time to get involved. One of the areas of focus is quantum computing that we look at bringing to India," he said.

The International Semiconductor Industry Group (ISIG) represents major semiconductor companies such as Nvidia, AMD, Broadcom, ASML, Applied Materials and Intel.

The industry body is organising its first two-day Executive Summit India 2026, starting November 3, to initiate dialogue on investment opportunities and industry engagement in the country.

"Several players across the globe are looking for more information and the right connections in India. They are still trying to get more clarity on India's plan. We are hosting the first summit in India to initiate that dialogue among decision makers," Nasri said.

When asked how ISIG's executive summit would differ from other industry events, such as Semicon India, which already facilitate similar discussions, Nasri said the organisation would complement existing initiatives through more focused engagements.

ISIG will complement initiatives such as Semicon India and also organise closed-door meetings with small groups of decision makers to discuss and finalise deals. "Networking is easy among smaller groups. Our focus will be on getting deals done," Nasri said.

He added that India's large talent pool makes it an attractive destination for the global semiconductor ecosystem.

"Around 80% of the global semiconductor workforce are either Chinese or Indian. Several Chinese talents have gone back to China and are building its semiconductor industry. Executives in China are getting paid three times more than many of their peers in the US. India too has an opportunity to get its talent back and innovate," Nasri said.

He said more than 100 venture capital funds are associated with ISIG and that the organisation plans to fund local start-ups on the spot, similar to what happens on the popular television show Shark Tank.