Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned 76 on September 17, 2026, with the occasion coinciding with the inauguration of SEMICON India 2026 at Yashobhoomi in New Delhi. The three-day semiconductor and electronics event, being held from September 17 to 19, brings together companies, policymakers, investors, researchers, start-ups and academic institutions from across the global semiconductor ecosystem.
The fifth edition of SEMICON India is being held under the theme “Silicon to Systems: Building the Ecosystem.” The event focuses on collaboration, investment, innovation and talent development across areas ranging from semiconductor materials and equipment to chip design, fabrication, advanced packaging, electronics and systems.
More than 600 companies and representatives from 52 countries are participating in the event, according to the Prime Minister’s Office. The exhibition also features country pavilions, state booths, a startup pavilion, an innovation showcase and workforce-development initiatives.
The timing of the event places semiconductor development at the centre of the Prime Minister’s birthday engagements. India has been seeking to expand its presence across the semiconductor value chain, with the government’s semiconductor programme supporting projects related to manufacturing, packaging and other parts of the ecosystem. PIB has said that 12 projects have been approved under the first phase of the programme.
At the inauguration, Modi also interacted with participants at the exhibition. Recent reporting from the event indicates that the government is looking to expand the next phase of its semiconductor programme, with greater emphasis on chip design, manufacturing and development of skilled technical talent.
Alongside the official programme, birthday-related public service activities and celebrations have been organised in different parts of the country. Modi has acknowledged the wishes and blessings received from citizens, linking them to his continuing commitment to public service.
Born on September 17, 1950, in Vadnagar, Gujarat, Modi became Prime Minister in 2014 and began his third consecutive term in June 2024. His 76th birthday therefore coincides with an event centred on one of the technology sectors that the government has identified as important to India’s industrial and economic development.
SEMICON India 2026 provides a platform for discussions around India’s semiconductor capabilities and its participation in global electronics supply chains. The event’s focus on manufacturing, research, investment and workforce development reflects the broader effort to build domestic capabilities in a strategically important technology sector.
For the Prime Minister, the September 17 programme combines a personal milestone with a major national technology event, placing India’s semiconductor ambitions alongside the wider themes of innovation, industrial development and the country’s longer-term development goals.