India must guard against cyberattacks as chip sector grows: Vaishnaw

India's burgeoning semiconductor sector faces mounting security risks as the country positions itself as a credible alternative to established chip manufacturing hubs, Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw cautioned on Monday.

In remarks to media, Vaishnaw underscored that India's growing capacity to both design and manufacture semiconductors will likely be perceived as a competitive threat by entrenched players within the global chip value chain. "We have to continuously be watchful of the potential geopolitical risks which will arise because India is now emerging as a country which can design and manufacture chips," he said, adding that this development will "obviously" be seen as threatening by many established interests.

The minister emphasized that as multiple countries increasingly view India as a dependable partner for developing and manufacturing semiconductor products, the domestic industry cannot afford complacency. He has communicated this caution directly to industry stakeholders, urging them to maintain heightened security measures against potential cyberattacks and other disruptive activities.

Vaishnaw's warning reflects broader concerns about India's strategic pivot in the global semiconductor ecosystem. With major economies seeking to diversify their chip supply chains away from concentrated production centers, India's push to build domestic semiconductor capabilities has attracted significant international investment and partnerships.