India Photonics Association Launch: Can India Build What Silicon Built?

The India Photonics Association (IPA) launched on September 9, 2026, in New Delhi, positioning itself as India’s first independent, ecosystem-led body for the photonics sector. Its inauguration was attended by Shri Sarin Sundar, CTO of the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), alongside industry leaders, researchers, and stakeholders.

The India Photonics Association launch comes at a moment when photonics — the science and technology of light — underpins telecommunications, semiconductors, defence, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing. India’s photonics market is estimated at USD 78.4 billion in 2025 and projected to reach USD 155 billion by 2034, with silicon photonics growing at close to 29% CAGR.

But the press release and the accompanying IPA industry report reveal a more nuanced picture. India’s photonics TAM (Scope B, total market) is $3.29 billion in components and modules — a figure dramatically smaller than the $78.4 billion headline. The gap between these two numbers tells the real story of where India stands in the global photonics value chain.

Layer 1 — Why Now: The India Photonics Association Launch Context

The Market Context

India’s photonics ecosystem is gaining momentum. BharatNet, the world’s largest optical fibre programme, is connecting rural India. ISRO is deploying optical inter-satellite links. Data centres increasingly depend on optical transceivers.

Every byte of data crossing India’s internet, every image from satellites, every laser in operating theatres — all of it runs on photonics.

The global photonics market was valued at $988.7 billion in 2025, projected to reach $1,838.3 billion by 2036 at 5.8% CAGR, according to Future Market Insights. Mordor Intelligence pegs it at $1.46 trillion in 2026. SPIE’s 2026 Global Industry Report identified 5,417 companies producing core photonics components worldwide, with combined revenues of approximately $381 billion in 2024.

India accounts for a small fraction of this. The India silicon photonics market generated $35.7 million in 2023, expected to reach $206.8 million by 2030 at 28.5% CAGR, according to Grand View Research. India represents 2.2% of the global silicon photonics market. The India photonic integrated circuit (PIC) market reached $519.2 million in 2025, projected to reach $1,968.3 million by 2034 at 15.48% CAGR, per IMARC Group.

The Semiconductor Mission Connection

The ISM connection is significant. India has announced approximately Rs 1.27 lakh crore (close to $14 billion) in semiconductor incentives, expected to attract investments of around $40 billion. Under Semicon 2.0, the government has given silicon photonics greater prominence, with provisions for both mainstream projects and a dedicated silicon photonics fab under the R&D programme.

Dr Ashwini Aggarwal, Director General of IPA, told ANI that India expects “at least one to two industry-led silicon photonics pilot projects” to come up. He highlighted that the government has created two positions for silicon photonics within the programme — one in mainstream and one for a silicon photonics fab in R&D.

This policy framework gives the IPA a concrete foundation to build on. The association is not launching into a vacuum — it is launching into a policy environment where the government has already allocated capital and created regulatory structures for photonics manufacturing.

The Silicon Photonics PDK Milestone

In May 2026, the ISM launched an indigenously developed Silicon Photonics Process Design Kit (PDK) with over 50 verified components, developed in collaboration with IIT Madras. The PDK serves as a shared national facility for India’s photonics R&D community, enabling startups, researchers, and defence organisations to develop photonic integrated circuits domestically.

Rohin Y, board member of IPA and Founder-CEO of LightSpeed Photonics, called it “a very important milestone for India’s semiconductor and photonics ecosystem” on LinkedIn. His company, LightSpeed Photonics, raised $6.5 million in a pre-Series A round led by pi Ventures in November 2025, with total funding of approximately $8.5 million including grants.

Layer 2 — India in the Global Photonics Landscape

The Global Association Ecosystem

The IPA enters a landscape where established photonics associations have spent decades building ecosystems. SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, has over 24,000 members globally and has been quantifying the photonics value chain since 2012.

Photonics21, the European Technology Platform, has over 4,300 members and operates a co-programmed partnership with the European Commission under Horizon Europe. EPIC, the European Photonics Industry Consortium, represents over 800 member companies. SPECTARIS represents Germany’s photonics sector.

Japan has OITDA, Korea has KAPID, and Taiwan has PIDA. India had no equivalent national body until now. The IPA fills a gap that every major photonics-producing nation has already addressed.

Where India Stands Globally

SPIE’s data reveals the scale of India’s challenge. Of the 5,417 photonics component companies tracked globally, only 33 are headquartered in India, compared to 1,622 in China, 383 in Japan, and 934 in the United States. China holds 32% of global photonics production, followed by Europe at 15% and the US at 15%. India does not rank in the top five by revenue or company count.

The IPA’s own report confirms this position. The report identifies where India is already strong: fibre/OFC and passive optics, lasers and system integration, EO/IR and rugged optomechanics, and silicon photonics and quantum startups. But it also identifies where the value chain remains thin: advanced detectors, laser sources, optical engines, PIC fabrication, photonic packaging, and high-speed electro-optical test and qualification.

India is stronger downstream than upstream. The strategic opportunity, as the IPA report states, is “not simply to consume more of photonics, but to capture more of the design, IP, devices, packaging, test, manufacturing and export value embedded in those products.”

Competitors and Comparators

China dominates photonics manufacturing, shipping 60% of global LiDAR units in 2025 with Hesai and RoboSense controlling 65% of that volume. Japan leads in photonics component revenue, driven by companies like Keyence, Nikon, Olympus, and Sony. The US maintains a lead in silicon photonics design, with companies like Intel, Cisco, and NVIDIA. Europe leads in photonics for Industry 4.0 (38% global market share), defence and security (24%), and healthcare (21%).

India’s competitive position is not in challenging these incumbents head-on. It is in building downstream integration, packaging, and system-level capabilities that leverage domestic demand from BharatNet, data centre expansion, and defence modernisation.

Layer 3 — Public-Data Sweep: Market Size Scrutiny

The $78.4 Billion vs. $3.29 Billion Discrepancy

The press release cites a $78.4 billion photonics market estimate for 2025, projected to reach $155 billion by 2034. The IPA’s own two-page report tells a different story. It identifies Scope A (components and modules) at $2.87 billion and Total Photonics TAM (Scope B) at $3.29 billion, with a forecast of $6.8-7.9 billion by FY2031-32 at approximately 15% CAGR.

The $78.4 billion figure appears to represent the total economic value of photonics-enabled products and services in India — including end-user applications like telecommunications equipment, medical devices, and displays. The $3.29 billion figure represents the addressable market for photonics components and modules — the layer where India could potentially manufacture, design, and add value.

This distinction matters enormously. A $78.4 billion market suggests India is already a major photonics player. A $3.29 billion TAM suggests India is a small market with significant growth potential but limited current manufacturing depth.

LightSpeed Photonics: The Startup Case Study

LightSpeed Photonics illustrates both the opportunity and the challenge. Founded in 2021 by Rohin Y, the company is headquartered in Singapore with R&D in Hyderabad and presence in the US and Japan. It has 27 employees and has raised $8.5 million total funding.

The company develops solderable optical interconnects for AI data centres, claiming up to four times faster speeds, half the power consumption, and 20 times smaller footprint than traditional solutions. Its competitors include Ayar Labs, Ranovus, and Celestial AI — companies that have collectively raised hundreds of millions of dollars.

LightSpeed’s trajectory reveals India’s photonics gap. Despite being an Indian-origin company with Indian R&D, it is headquartered in Singapore, targeted primarily at US data centre OEMs, and manufactures through partnerships in Singapore and Asia. Rohin told Inc42: “The product is primarily targeted at the US.” India is a secondary market for capability building and volume-driven manufacturing.

This is the reality the IPA must confront. India’s most promising photonics startup is commercially oriented toward the US, not India.

Dr Ashwini Aggarwal’s Role

Aggarwal serves as Director General of IPA. He is also Chairperson of IEEE EPS and EPTC 2025 Conference, and has been actively involved in India’s semiconductor ecosystem through TiEcon and other forums. His LinkedIn posts show deep engagement with the ISM, semiconductor packaging, and photonics policy — including the Silicon Photonics PDK launch at IIT Madras.

His quotes in the press release are strategically crafted. “Silicon gave the world the chip. Photonics will give the world what comes next. India needs to be at that frontier — not watching from the sidelines.” This is an aspirational positioning, not a description of current reality.

BharatNet and ISRO OISL

The press release cites BharatNet as the world’s largest optical fibre programme and ISRO’s optical inter-satellite links as evidence of India’s growing photonics capabilities. Both are accurate. BharatNet has connected hundreds of thousands of villages with optical fibre. ISRO has demonstrated optical inter-satellite communication.

But both are government infrastructure projects, not commercial photonics manufacturing. BharatNet deploys optical fibre but does not manufacture the transceivers, amplifiers, or photonic integrated circuits that power it. ISRO’s OISL programme is a research and defence initiative, not a commercial supply chain.

Layer 4 — The Unasked Question: What the Press Release Does Not Address

Funding Model and Membership Structure

The press release does not disclose IPA’s funding model. Is it membership-fee based? Government funded? Industry sponsored? What is the membership fee structure? How many members has it signed up? Without this information, it is impossible to assess whether the IPA has the financial sustainability to execute its mission.

For comparison, EPIC (European Photonics Industry Consortium) has 19 employees and $2.6 million in annual revenue, serving 800+ member companies. Photonics21 has 4,300+ members and operates through EU Commission partnership funding. The IPA’s operational scale is not disclosed.

PIC Fabrication and Photonic Packaging Gap

The IPA report identifies PIC fabrication and photonic packaging as areas where the value chain remains thin. This is the most significant constraint on India’s photonics ambitions. India does not have a commercial photonic integrated circuit fabrication facility. The Silicon Photonics PDK launched at IIT Madras is a design enablement tool, not a manufacturing facility.

Without domestic PIC fabrication, India’s photonics startups must rely on foreign foundries — typically in Singapore, Taiwan, or Europe — for chip production. This creates a dependency that no industry association can resolve through collaboration alone. It requires capital investment in fabrication infrastructure.

Mordor Intelligence reports that India extended its PLI scheme to silicon photonics in March 2024, offering 50% capital-expenditure reimbursement for fabs producing integrated photonic circuits. The IISc has established a 200mm foundry in partnership with Applied Materials and Lam Research. Tata Electronics has committed Rs 12 billion ($144 million) to a transceiver assembly plant in Gujarat. But these are early-stage initiatives, not operational manufacturing at scale.

Policy Asks

The press release says the IPA will “provide technically rigorous, industry-grounded inputs to support informed policymaking.” But it does not specify what policy changes the association will advocate for. Will it push for photonics-specific PLI incentives beyond what exists? Would it advocate for import duty reductions on photonics manufacturing equipment? And will it push for government procurement preferences for domestically manufactured photonics components?

Aggarwal told ANI: “We need to make sure that we aggregate our market and protect it. We invest to build our own technologies, leveraging what is there from abroad, but ensuring that it is customized for India, which are trusted technologies, which secure India and build our own path.” This suggests a protectionist policy stance — but the specifics are not defined.

Talent and Education

India has 33 photonics component companies, per SPIE data. Building a domestic photonics manufacturing base requires specialized talent in optics, photonics, materials science, and precision packaging. Rohin told the New Indian Express: “We had to train people from scratch. This is a specialised field, and there isn’t a ready-made workforce for it.”

The press release does not address how the IPA will tackle the talent gap. Will it partner with academic institutions? Could it advocate for photonics curricula? And will it support training programmes in photonic packaging and testing?

Layer 5 — Honest Translation: What the Findings Mean

“India’s Photonics Market Estimated at $78.4 Billion”

This figure is real but potentially misleading. It represents the total economic value of photonics-enabled products and services in India — including displays, LEDs, optical fibre networks, medical imaging equipment, and other end-user applications. It does not represent India’s photonics manufacturing market.

The IPA’s own report provides the more relevant figure: $3.29 billion in total photonics TAM (Scope B), with $2.87 billion in components and modules. This is the addressable market for photonics manufacturing in India. The $6.8-7.9 billion forecast by FY2031-32 represents achievable growth if India captures more of the value chain.

“Silicon Photonics Growing at 29% CAGR”

This is accurate but from a very small base. India’s silicon photonics market was $35.7 million in 2023. Even at 29% CAGR, it reaches $206.8 million by 2030 — a fraction of the global silicon photonics market, which was valued at $1.8 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $17.8 billion by 2035.

India’s silicon photonics growth is impressive in percentage terms but marginal in absolute terms. The 29% CAGR reflects a small base effect, not market dominance.

“BharatNet, ISRO OISL, Data Centre Transceivers”

These are genuine photonics demand drivers. But they are primarily consumption points, not production points. India deploys optical fibre, satellite links, and data centre transceivers — but it imports most of the photonics components that make them work.

Rohin told the Economic Times: “India imports $300 million worth of this annually, a number expected to grow with the expansion of AI and new data centres.” This import dependency is the gap the IPA aims to close — but closing it requires manufacturing capability that India does not yet have at scale.

“Neutral Platform for Collaboration”

This is the right positioning. India’s photonics ecosystem is fragmented across research institutions (IITs, IISc), startups (LightSpeed Photonics, quantum photonics companies), established companies, and government agencies (ISM, ISRO, DOT). An association that brings them together serves a genuine coordination function.

But the IPA’s impact depends on what it does after launch. Photonics21 published a multiannual strategic roadmap. SPIE produces annual industry reports with quantitative data. EPIC organizes over 50 business events annually. The IPA’s value proposition will be measured by its outputs — roadmaps, policy submissions, industry data, trade events — not by its launch announcement.

Layer 6 — Decision-Maker Framing: Who Should Care

For Photonics and Deep-Tech Startups

If you are building a photonics startup in India, the IPA could provide the ecosystem support that has been missing — industry connections, policy advocacy, and access to the ISM framework. The Silicon Photonics PDK at IIT Madras and the PLI scheme for silicon photonics are real enabling tools.

But you should understand that India’s photonics manufacturing infrastructure is still nascent. PIC fabrication, photonic packaging, and electro-optical testing capabilities are limited. Your go-to-market strategy may still require foreign foundries and packaging partners, as LightSpeed Photonics has done.

for Semiconductor Investors

The IPA launch signals that photonics is becoming part of India’s semiconductor narrative. The ISM’s inclusion of silicon photonics in Semicon 2.0, the PDK launch, and the PLI scheme create a policy tailwind. Aggarwal’s prediction of one to two industry-led silicon photonics pilot projects is worth tracking.

But India’s photonics investment landscape is thin. LightSpeed Photonics’ $8.5 million total funding is modest compared to global competitors. Ayar Labs has raised over $200 million. Celestial AI has raised over $250 million. The capital gap between Indian photonics startups and their global competitors is enormous.

for Defence and Strategic Technology Watchers

Photonics is critical for defence — EO/IR systems, laser weapons, surveillance, and secure communications. The IPA report identifies EO/IR and rugged optomechanics as areas where India is already strong. ISRO’s OISL programme demonstrates domestic capability in space photonics.

The IPA’s advocacy for “trusted technologies, which secure India” aligns with the government’s push for strategic autonomy in defence technology. If the association can channel defence procurement toward domestic photonics suppliers, it could create a protected market for Indian manufacturers.

for Telecom and Data Centre Operators

India’s data centre capacity is projected to more than double by 2026-27, from nearly 1.25 GW in 2025 to 2-2.3 GW, according to ICRA. This expansion drives demand for optical transceivers, silicon photonics modules, and optical interconnects. India currently imports most of these components.

The IPA’s long-term goal of building domestic transceiver and module manufacturing could reduce import dependency. But this requires PIC fabrication and photonic packaging capabilities that are years away from commercial scale.

What Is Genuinely New vs. What Is Established

Genuinely New

India now has its first independent, ecosystem-led photonics industry body. This is genuinely new. Every major photonics-producing nation has had one for years or decades. The IPA fills a structural gap in India’s technology ecosystem.

The Silicon Photonics PDK with 50+ verified components, launched at IIT Madras under ISM, is a concrete enabling tool for domestic PIC design. This is not an announcement — it is an operational facility.

Aggarwal’s prediction of one to two industry-led silicon photonics pilot projects is a specific, testable forecast. If these pilots materialise, they would represent India’s first commercial silicon photonics manufacturing initiatives.

Established

India’s strength in fibre/OFC and passive optics is well established. BharatNet, ISRO’s OISL programme, and the domestic data centre buildout are existing demand drivers. The ISM’s semiconductor incentives, including the PLI scheme for silicon photonics, are already operational.

The global photonics market context — China’s dominance, Europe’s strength in industrial photonics, Japan’s leadership in components — is well documented by SPIE, Photonics21, and market research firms.

Unclear

IPA’s funding model and membership structure. Also unclear: the number of members signed up.

The specific policy changes the association will advocate for. Whether the predicted silicon photonics pilot projects will materialise.

How India will close the PIC fabrication and photonic packaging gap. Whether the $78.4 billion market figure refers to photonics-enabled economic value or photonics manufacturing. How the IPA will address the talent shortage in photonics engineering and packaging.

The Bigger Picture

The India Photonics Association launch is a necessary first step for a country that has been conspicuously absent from the global photonics manufacturing map. India has 33 photonics component companies. China has 1,622. The gap is not closing on its own — it requires coordinated industry action, government policy alignment, and capital investment.

The IPA’s most valuable contribution may be the honest assessment in its own industry report. India is stronger downstream than upstream. The value chain remains thin in the most critical areas — PIC fabrication, photonic packaging, and electro-optical testing. Its $3.29 billion TAM is modest.

That $6.8-7.9 billion forecast for FY2031-32 represents achievable growth, not transformational scale.

But the policy environment is more supportive than ever. The ISM has allocated $14 billion in semiconductor incentives. Semicon 2.0 includes dedicated provisions for silicon photonics.

The PDK at IIT Madras provides design infrastructure. The PLI scheme offers 50% capital-expenditure reimbursement for photonics fabs. Tata Electronics has committed to a transceiver assembly plant in Gujarat.

Aggarwal’s framing — “Silicon gave the world the chip. Photonics will give the world what comes next” — is aspirational. But Rohin’s framing is more grounded: “India is in the best position to take advantage of photonics in general because we have had a difficult time catching up to what CMOS silicon technologies have grown.” The opportunity is not to replicate Taiwan’s CMOS dominance. It is to build a photonics manufacturing base that leverages India’s domestic demand and frugal engineering capabilities.

The IPA’s success will not be measured by its launch event or its market projections. It will be measured by whether India moves from 33 photonics companies to 300, from $3.29 billion in components TAM to $7.9 billion, from zero commercial PIC fabrication facilities to operational pilot lines. That is a five-to-ten-year horizon. The association has launched at the right time. Whether it executes will determine whether “India needs to be at that frontier” becomes a reality or remains a slogan.

Global photonics market: $988.7 billion in 2025 (Future Market Insights). $1.46 trillion in 2026 (Mordor Intelligence). Core components: $381 billion in 2024, 5,417 companies, 1.5 million employees (SPIE 2026). China 32% share, Europe 15%, US 15%, Japan 11%, Korea 8%, Taiwan 7%. India: 33 companies (SPIE).

India Semiconductor Mission: Rs 1.27 lakh crore (~$14 billion) announced. Expected to attract ~$40 billion in investments. Semicon 2.0 includes silicon photonics provisions. Silicon Photonics PDK launched May 2026 at IIT Madras with 50+ verified components. PLI scheme extended to silicon photonics March 2024, 50% capex reimbursement.

LightSpeed Photonics: Founded 2021. Founder-CEO: Rohin Y. HQ: Singapore, R&D: Hyderabad. 27 employees. Total funding: ~$8.5 million including grants.

Pre-Series A: $6.5 million led by pi Ventures (November 2025). Product: solderable optical interconnects, 400G, 4x faster, 50% less power, 20x smaller.

Competitors: Ayar Labs, Ranovus, Celestial AI. India imports $300 million in optical transceivers annually (Economic Times).

Where India is strong (IPA report): Fibre/OFC and passive optics, Lasers and system integration, EO/IR and rugged optomechanics, Silicon photonics and quantum startups. Where the value chain remains thin: Advanced detectors, laser sources, optical engines, PIC fabrication, photonic packaging, High-speed electro-optical test and qualification.

Global photonics associations: SPIE (24,000+ members, 5,417 companies tracked), Photonics21 (4,300+ members, EU Commission partnership), EPIC (800+ member companies, 19 employees, $2.6M revenue), SPECTARIS (Germany), OITDA (Japan), KAPID (Korea), PIDA (Taiwan).

Contact: techrecasteditor@gmail.com