New Delhi, Aug. 20 -- When Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day address spoke of a Made-in-India semiconductor chip becoming a reality, he was articulating more than an industrial goal. He was defining a new pillar of national security. In a world fractured by geopolitics, theability to not just use but to influence and control the technology that powers our future is a matter of sovereignty. He recalled how past efforts to build chip manufacturing were blocked. India has identified this as a challenge and committed itself to the arduous journey of semiconductor self-sufficiency.

Initial steps are underway. Across India, a concerted policy push is taking shape. The government launched the India Semiconductor Mission in 20...