At the Nanoelectronics 2025 summit, Abhishek Singh from MeitY reveals how India's advancements in nanoelectronics, from billions of transistors in smartphones to energy-saving carbon nanotubes, will transform AI, quantum computing, and sustainable tech
India is at the cusp of a major transformation in nanoelectronics, which will drive advancements in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and energy‑efficient computing, according to Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). Speaking at the Nanoelectronics 2025 summit hosted by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Singh emphasised the pivotal role of nanoelectronics in shaping the future of technology.
“We all are witnessing the revolution technology has brought into our lives, and nanoelectronics is one of the key drivers,” Singh stated. He highlighted the astonishing scale of miniaturisation, noting that a modern smartphone houses nearly 20 billion transistors, each smaller than a strand of human hair. This, he said, has enabled rapid developments in high‑performance computing and AI‑driven solutions.
Beyond computing power, Singh stressed the importance of energy efficiency in emerging technologies. “Carbon nanotubes, for instance, consume almost ten times less electricity than traditional silicon‑based systems,” he pointed out. The impact of energy‑efficient computing was underscored by a striking comparison: a single NVIDIA H100 AI chip consumes as much power as an entire household in the United States. He noted that newer chips, such as NVIDIA’s B200 and AMD’s latest processors, are working toward reducing energy consumption while enhancing performance.
Singh also highlighted the role of nanoelectronics in AI‑driven applications, particularly in agriculture and healthcare. “We are already witnessing how sensors can collect vital data for AI models. For example, soil moisture sensors, combined with weather data, can help farmers optimise irrigation,” he explained. Under the India AI mission, MeitY is working on application development initiatives that encourage startups, researchers and entrepreneurs to create solutions for sectors such as agriculture, healthcare and education.
Acknowledging India’s progress in the field, Singh commended institutions like IISc, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Guwahati and IIT Madras for their contributions to nanoelectronics research. He also expressed enthusiasm for neuromorphic computing, a technology designed to mimic the human brain’s efficiency, calling it a crucial step toward next‑generation AI and robotics.
Reaffirming MeitY’s commitment, Singh emphasised the importance of the INUP programme, which ensures that premier research institutions share their nanoelectronics infrastructure with a broader scientific community. “With the work being done across these institutions, India has the potential to be at the forefront of this cutting‑edge technology,” he concluded.