Firstpost | How India is moving fast to becoming semiconductor ‘aatmanirbhar’

The India Semiconductor Mission’s (ISM) ambitious goal to establish a robust domestic chip design and manufacturing ecosystem is gradually achieving fruition. The Union government recently approved three semiconductor units, including India’s first fabrication plant by Tata Electronics Private Limited, in partnership with Taiwan’s Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation in Dholera, Gujarat. Read the full article here.

Takshashila Blog | The Imperative of Open-sourcing Chip Manufacturing Processes

The India Semiconductor Mission’s (ISM) ambitious goal to establish a robust domestic chip design and manufacturing ecosystem is gradually achieving fruition. The Union government recently approved three semiconductor units, including India’s first fabrication plant by Tata Electronics Private Limited, in partnership with Taiwan’s Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation in Dholera, Gujarat.

India’s presence in the chip design stage of the global value chain (GVC) is sizeable and well-established, playing host to global semiconductor design houses such as AMD and Qualcomm. There’s a slight glitch in the matrix, though: despite a large pool of skilled design engineers and a growing domestic market, India has struggled to establish a robust homegrown chip design and product ecosystem.

New Delhi has launched initiatives like the semiconductor Design-Linked Incentive (DLI) and Chips 2 Startup (C2S) schemes, which aim to provide select startups and universities with affordable access to Electronic Design Automation (EDA) software tools essential for designing all modern chips.

However, a key hurdle for startups and academia is the lack of standardised and affordable access to collaborative research facilities, and critical chip design toolkits inextricably linked to the fabrication stage of the supply chain that India is focused on: Process Development Toolkits (PDKs). Read the full article here.

Firstpost | Embracing AI: A strategic shift towards software-centric innovation in India

The Artificial Intelligence (AI) landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, driven by a coalition of tech giants and developers rallying behind an OpenAI-led initiative to build software that facilitates switching between different AI chips. As Nvidia’s dominance in AI hardware faces challenges due to supply shortages and high costs, this initiative aims to democratise AI development by reducing dependence on Nvidia’s proprietary software platform, Cuda. This article contends that India, with its robust software development industry, is uniquely positioned to contribute to this transformative shift, and this strategy plays well to India’s strengths and could assist India from a geopolitical perspective too.

By Arindam Goswami

Read the full article here.

ISDP Voices | 75 Years of China-Russia Relations: Indeed a ‘No Limits’ Partnership

On May 16, 2024, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping set a new record by concluding their 43rd meeting, marking the 75-year anniversary of China-Russia diplomatic relations. The meeting witnessed affirmation of the ‘comprehensive partnership’ and ‘strategic cooperation’ between the two sides and a reiteration of their mutual contempt for “closed-door military and political alliances” led by the West. Further, Putin and Xi discussed the future trajectory of the relationship – more tourism and better people-to-people ties, enhanced calibration and alignment of international interests, contributing to the “renovation” of global economic governance. Read the full article here.

Deccan Herald | New guidelines could hamper India’s promising space industry

On May 3, space regulator Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) released new guidelines and procedures for space activity. These guidelines may have a detrimental effect on India’s emerging private space sector. Read the full article here.

The Times of India | In the hot seat, under Beijing’s glare

In what can be considered a tragic incident in the history of Taiwanese democracy, on May 17, members of the island nation’s parliament engaged in an intense brawl, leading to the hospitalisation of five lawmakers. This was just a couple of days before Lai Ching-te, the new Taiwanese President, assumed office on May 20. Read the full article here.

Deccan Herald | Time for Structural Reforms

The World Economic Outlook brought out by the IMF in April did not project an optimistic economic scenario for the global economy. The world economy is estimated to grow at 3.2 per cent in 2024 and 2025, which is the same rate as it was in 2023. Read the full article here.

ThePrint | Army caught between religious & constitutional values. Defend secular, apolitical nature

Since Independence, the Indian Armed Forces – particularly the Indian Army – have had to navigate the socio-cultural minefields thrown up by the vagaries of domestic politics and religions. The Constitution provided the beacon that illuminated the path ahead. A beacon designed on the belief that maintaining an apolitical institutional character and secular outlook would sustain and defend India’s integrity. The foundation of this secular outlook was rooted in the embracement of the encultured notion that the military institution had no religion and the equivalent of its holy book was the Constitution. But such an institutional belief was subject to being shaken by the crosswinds of India’s religious diversity. Read the full article here.

The Diplomat | New Energy Competition: It’s Politics First for Both US and China

Both China and the U.S. are looking to tariffs and other trade barriers to protect their clean energy industries. The outcome is likely to be a more protectionist world economy. Read the full article here.

The Hindu | India-China consumption comparison

In 2023, India surpassed China to become the world’s most populous country. The development came against the backdrop of a declining birth rate (6.4 births per 1,000 people) and total fertility rate (~1%) in China. China also recorded a negative population growth rate for the first time in six decades. This means a rising dependency ratio, which is projected to increase over time. In contrast, India’s population, despite reaching replacement levels (total fertility rate of 2.1), is expected to grow and peak around 2060. Read the article here.

Mint | The carbon emissions of war put humanity’s right to exist at risk

The regional head of a well-regarded global philanthropic foundation recently told me that his board had decided to exclusively focus on funding causes concerned with combating climate change. Knowing that it had previously supported work on nuclear disarmament and international security, I asked why those problems were no longer of interest to the foundation. His reply left me bemused. Climate change, he told me, is a long-term existential threat to humanity. Read the full article here.

The Quint | Wealth Tax: The Rich Are Ready To Shell Out. Can the Government Enable Means?

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently addressed the concept of "Robinhood Economics", emphasising the importance of wealth creation over redistribution. Her remarks come amidst a broader debate sparked during the Indian election campaign regarding the potential implementation of wealth and inheritance taxes to address economic inequality. In an era marked by widening economic disparities and mounting calls for social justice, the debate over wealth tax and inheritance tax has ignited fervent discourse on the role of taxation in fostering economic equity and bolstering social security.

By Arindam Goswami

Read the full article here.

Takshashila Blog | Strategic Tides and Regional Dynamics: The China-Bangladesh Military Engagements

In the past decade, China’s military engagements with South Asia, particularly Bangladesh, have increased rapidly and garnered major attention. Beyond economic and infrastructure investments, China has progressively ventured into the realm of arms trade and has established itself as a major player among these states. This analysis explores the significant arms transactions between China and Bangladesh from 2010 to 2022, along with recent developments that illustrate the evolving dynamics of their relationship. It also examines the broader implications of these interactions for China's strategic posture within South Asia. Read the full article here.

Transitions Research | Why AI Governance Must Contend With Semiconductor Geopolitics

The entire AI value chain (also known as the AI technology stack or life cycle), from data and algorithms to computing infrastructure required for training and deployment, is critically dependent on semiconductors. Different kinds of chips like CPUs, GPUs, FPGAs and specialised ASICs, form the substrate that enables the creation and operation of AI systems. As AI systems become more sophisticated and ubiquitous, efforts to create robust governance frameworks to ensure their safe, ethical and responsible development and deployment have emerged and accelerated. Multilateral efforts like the OECD’s AI Principles and the Global Partnership on AI, etc., are important initiatives. However, any serious effort to govern AI must also grapple with the complex geopolitical and geo-economic dynamics of semiconductors. Read the full article here.

New Indian Express | Feeling hot, hot, hot? How India's cities can keep the mercury at bay

In January this year, data from two leading global organisations told us what we already sort of knew — that 2023 was the hottest year on record, and 2024 could potentially be worse. America’s National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Europe’s Copernicus Climate Service simultaneously published data that should alarm the most hardline of global warming sceptics. Two months later, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) published its independent study that confirmed the NASA and Copernicus conclusions. Read the full article here.

ThePrint | What are China’s intentions in building Shaksgam Valley road? Not security, look to politics

China’s road-building capability and intentions in the Himalayas were highlighted recently through a post on X by researcher Nature Desai. Utilising satellite imagery, he argued that China has built a road across the Aghil Pass, located at a height of 4,805 m, and entered the lower Shaksgam Valley. The roadhead is now less than 30 miles from the Siachen Glacier. This triggered speculation in the Indian media about China’s intentions and capabilities regarding the potential collusive threat posed by China and Pakistan to India’s defences in the Siachen Glacier region. Read the full article here.

Hindustan Times | A self-harming stance on digital trade tariffs

India was at loggerheads with the developed nations and China at the World Trade Organization’s (WTO’s) 13th Ministerial Conference (MC-13) in Abu Dhabi earlier this year. India’s resistance to extending the moratorium on tariffs for digital trade was one point of divergence. This stance is counterproductive, and likely to hurt India’s most promising sector. Read the full article here.

CSIS Interpret | The Belt and Road Initiative at 10: Regional Perspectives on China’s Evolving Approach

No official Indian delegation attended the 2023 Belt and Road Forum, which was held in Beijing in October. This has been the pattern since the first forum was held in 2017 to expand cooperation around China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). However, unlike the past two events, Beijing did not extend an invitation to New Delhi this time around. This offers a glimpse into the state of the bilateral relationship, which has been on a downward spiral since 2017. Read the full article here.

The Free Press Journal | Why The Young American Vote Won’t Impact Biden

Several leading American universities at present are under siege by two things: 1) Students, and 2) The shortsightedness of their managements, who have abdicated administrative responsibilities and handed them over to law enforcement. Following nationwide protests against the Israeli military offensive in Gaza that has left nearly 35,000 Palestinians dead, universities around the US allowed the police to take action against their students. In some cases, like Columbia University in New York, administrations have cancelled graduation ceremonies, locked up hostels and dorm rooms, and cancelled all classes, leaving thousands of students in the lurch. Read the full article here.

Firstpost | With Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te set to assume office, China's woes will only exacerbate

With newly elected Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te set to assume office on May 20, there is intense speculation surrounding China’s potential response to the event. In anticipation of an aggressive response, Tsai Ming-yen, Director-General of Taiwan’s National Security Bureau, announced on May 1 that island authorities will be implementing measures to strengthen national critical infrastructure. Aiding the island’s overall defence posture, on April 24, United States President Joe Biden has also signed a bill to mobilise $8 billion in defence aid to the Indo-Pacific in general and Taiwan in particular. With neither the US nor China backing down on their respective positions on the Taiwan issue, these developments add fire to the already deteriorating cross-Strait dynamics. Read the full article here.