Deterrence Revisited
For more than two decades, India’s nuclear doctrine has been treated as a settled matter.
A curtain raiser for the upcoming Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC-2025), organised by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), was held at the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad, on 17 October 2025.
The ESTIC-2025 is being jointly organised by 13 ministries and departments of the government under the aegis of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India.
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The conclave will be held from November 3-5 at Bharat Mandapam, with the theme “Viksit Bharat 2047 – Pioneering Sustainable Innovation, Technological Advancement, and Empowerment”.
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As one of the key organisers, DRDO is leading the thematic session on “Electronics and Semiconductor Manufacturing”, one of the 11 thematic sessions at the conclave, the Ministry of Defence stated in a release.
Addressing the gathering at DRDL Hyderabad, Secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development (DDR&D) & Chairman DRDO, Dr Samir V Kamat, underlined the central role of semiconductors in modern technology ecosystems, powering critical systems in healthcare, communications, transport, defence, and space.
He highlighted that as global economies move towards deeper digitalisation and automation, semiconductors have become vital to national security, economic progress, and technological sovereignty.
Referring to India’s semiconductor journey, Dr Samir V Kamat noted that since the launch of the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) in 2021, India has transitioned from vision to implementation in just four years. He reaffirmed the national aspiration to position India among the world’s top three nations in semiconductors by 2036 in the domains of research, innovation, and workforce development.
He also announced that DRDO has made significant strides in semiconductor technology by developing indigenous methods for producing 4-inch Silicon Carbide (SiC) wafers and fabricating Gallium Nitride (GaN) High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) up to 150W.
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