India’s chip ambitions have mostly been a coastal story, and mostly about assembly. Madhya Pradesh spent two days arguing the middle of the country deserves a share.
At the Semiconductor Summit 2026 in Indore, chief minister Mohan Yadav said the state had received proposals worth more than INR 15,400 crore across semiconductors, electronics and high-tech manufacturing. Business Standard put the jobs figure above 14,450.
The largest item is not a chip plant. A 50 MW hyperscale data centre at Ganga Malanpur near Gwalior accounts for INR 6,415 crore, from CyTac RE.
Letters of intent, not committed capital
Five companies received letters of intent for land covering projects worth INR 9,625 crore and more than 4,450 direct jobs across Bhopal, Indore and Gwalior. A further INR 5,800 crore of proposals sits at an earlier stage, with around 10,000 jobs suggested if they convert.
The distinction matters. A letter of intent reserves ground. It does not order a tool or pour a foundation.
The state paired the announcements with two institutions: a Semiconductor Centre of Excellence for chip design and VLSI work, and a separate centre aimed at quantum computing, photonics and advanced materials. High-tech industry is to cluster along the Indore-Ujjain corridor, and Gwalior is being positioned as a telecom manufacturing hub.
The case for inland assembly
Advanced packaging is the least location-sensitive part of the chain. It needs power, water, floor space and trained operators rather than a mature ecosystem of process engineers, which is why a landlocked state can credibly compete.
The equipment and customers still arrive from elsewhere. Yadav said the state has received roughly INR 34 lakh crore of proposals since December 2023, with more than 30 percent moving toward implementation. Hold onto that number when the next summit produces a larger one.
