New Delhi, Aug. 5 -- Semiconductors have become the standout story of 2026. When people talk about "chips" today, they almost always mean this one.

India is now pulling in serious investment interest from semiconductor companies across Japan, the US, Europe, and Southeast Asia, with global players eyeing opportunities in chemicals, materials, industrial gases, and equipment.

This surge comes as the government gears up to streamline project approvals under the upcoming Semicon 2.0 programme, the next phase of the Rs.76000 crore semiconductor mission first announced in 2021.

Phase 1 was all about landing fabrication, packaging, and design investments to build up domestic manufacturing capacity. Semicon 2.0 is set to go deeper, strengthen...