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Raja Manickam’s argument is that India should turn its semiconductor engineering strength into Indian product companies—not rely only on engineering services and design work. In an October 6, 2026 interview, the iVP Semi founder and CEO connected that ambition to the chips behind connected devices and to India’s expanding semiconductor and digital infrastructure programs. His company’s stated focus is power semiconductors; the interview’s discussion of connectivity explains the broader opportunity, not a claim that iVP has already delivered products or results in those markets.
Who is Raja Manickam?
Analytics Insight identifies Manickam as the founder and CEO of iVP Semi. In its October 6, 2026 interview, he says his semiconductor career began in 1982 and describes returning to India to build an Indian product company. His broader career includes work as a test engineer at Texas Instruments, roles at other semiconductor firms and test labs, and co-founding Tessolve in 2004. A SEMICON Southeast Asia speaker biography also says he later led Tata Electronics OSAT; that biography provides career context, rather than a detailed independent career record.
The case he makes is for adding home-grown product companies to India’s existing engineering, design-center, and services capabilities. He describes iVP as a company meant to create demand for semiconductor capacity being built in India: “IVP is an Indian company creating demand for the semiconductor capacity that’s going to come up.” That is his description of the company’s purpose, not evidence of a particular customer, shipment, or commercial outcome.
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What do semiconductors do in a connected device?
Manickam’s explanation centers on three functions: communication, memory, and battery management. A connected product needs a way to send and receive data, a place to store data, and power management that helps it keep operating. He uses phones, audio devices, cars, and wearable or shoe-based sensing as examples of how connected products are spreading into everyday life. These are useful building blocks for understanding his point, not a complete technical architecture for every connected device.
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- COMPATIBILITY: Development board supporting multiple wireless protocols including Bluetooth
- Thread, Matter, Zigbee, ANT, and NFC at 2.4GHz frequency
- PROCESSOR: Features the advanced nRF54L15 transceiver chip from Nordic Semiconductor for reliable wireless communications
- WIRELESS STANDARDS: Implements IEEE 802.15.4 protocol support for Matter, Thread, and Zigbee networking applications
- DEVELOPMENT PLATFORM: Comprehensive evaluation board designed for testing and prototyping wireless connectivity solutions
As more wireless sensors and connectivity products share the airwaves, Manickam argues, integration becomes more complex and regulation and certification matter to prevent interference. The interview does not identify a specific wireless standard, protocol, certification body, or regulatory process, so it does not support attributing a particular technical solution to him or iVP.
What is iVP Semi’s stated focus?
iVP’s About page says the company was founded in 2024 by Manickam and describes a vision focused on power semiconductor innovation. It lists applications including EV traction inverters, solar solutions, and industrial power modules. Those are company-stated areas of focus; the available company and interview material does not establish revenue, product volumes, named customers, technical performance, or deployment results.
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- DEVELOPMENT BOARD: Nordic Semiconductor NRF52-DK development and evaluation board designed for wireless applications and prototyping
- WIRELESS CAPABILITIES: Features Bluetooth
- (BLE) and ANT protocol support with 2.4GHz operation frequency for versatile connectivity options
- PROCESSOR OPTIONS: Compatible with both nRF52810 and nRF52832 transceivers, offering flexibility for different project requirements
- NFC SUPPORT: Includes Near Field Communication (NFC) capabilities, expanding potential use cases and application scenarios
The distinction matters: Manickam’s connectivity examples describe why semiconductor functions are central to connected products, while iVP’s published focus is power semiconductors. His case for Indian product companies is therefore broader than a claim that iVP itself covers every connectivity chip, memory, or battery-management function.
How does India’s policy support the ambition?
Government of India figures reported by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) in 2026 show policy support spanning design as well as manufacturing and related capabilities. The figures below describe government programs and approved projects, not iVP’s activity or proof that India has already achieved globally competitive semiconductor production.
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- EVALUATION BOARD: NRF9151-DK development board from Nordic Semiconductor designed for cellular IoT and GNSS applications
- CONNECTIVITY: Features both cellular connectivity and GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) capabilities for location-based applications
- DEVELOPMENT PLATFORM: Ideal for prototyping and testing IoT devices, supporting cellular network communications
- COMPATIBILITY: Designed to work with Nordic Semiconductor's development tools and software development kit
- APPLICATIONS: Perfect for creating IoT solutions, asset tracking systems, and location-aware connected devices
| Government-reported measure | Figure and date | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Semicon India Programme outlay | ₹76,000 crore; programme launched in December 2021 | Manufacturing, display fabrication, chip design, packaging, testing, talent development, and research collaborations. |
| India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 initial outlay | ₹1,000 crore for FY 2026–27 | ISM 2.0 emphasizes equipment, materials, indigenous IP, resilient supply chains, research, training, and advanced manufacturing. |
| Design Linked Incentive (DLI) support | 24 companies receiving fiscal support and 105 applicants receiving EDA tools support, as of March 2026 | Support for semiconductor design activity. |
| DLI tape-outs and fabricated chips | Seven chips fabricated from 16 tape-outs, including advanced 12 nm designs, as of March 2026 | Reported program progress; the figure does not establish commercial scale or market competitiveness. |
| Approved semiconductor projects | 12 projects worth around ₹1.64 lakh crore, as of June 2026 | Approved projects; approval is not the same as completed production. |
The policy picture connects to Manickam’s argument in two ways. Design incentives and EDA access can support the design side of the ecosystem, while manufacturing, packaging, testing, equipment, materials, and research programs address other links in the supply chain. The figures show activity and public commitment, but they do not by themselves prove that every capability is available at scale or that product companies will succeed commercially.
Why connectivity infrastructure matters to semiconductor demand
Semiconductor products need applications and systems that use them. PIB reports that India’s optical-fibre coverage increased from 19.35 lakh route kilometres in 2019 to 42.36 lakh in 2025, and that 5G services had reached 99.9% of districts. These government-reported infrastructure measures indicate wider digital connectivity; they are not measures of semiconductor output, adoption of any particular chip, or iVP’s business.
Rank #4
- Development Platform: nRF52833-DK evaluation board designed for prototyping and testing Bluetooth
- BLE, Thread, and Zigbee applications using the nRF52833 SoC
- Wireless Connectivity: Supports multiple protocols including Bluetooth
- (BLE), 802.15.4 (Thread, Zigbee) operating at 2.4GHz frequency for versatile wireless development
- Integrated Antenna: Features PCB trace antenna built directly on-board for immediate testing and development without requiring external antenna components
Manickam’s strategic point is that Indian companies should develop products for the systems and devices being built, rather than participate only through design services or engineering work. That approach sits alongside manufacturing and packaging capacity, not in place of them: product development can create demand for chips, while production capacity and supply-chain capabilities determine what can be made and delivered.
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What the interview establishes—and what it does not
The interview offers Manickam’s perspective on India’s opportunity, his explanation of semiconductor functions in connected products, and his stated reason for building iVP. The company’s About page adds its founding date and declared power-semiconductor application areas. PIB provides dated national program and infrastructure figures.
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- DEVELOPMENT KIT: Nordic Semiconductor NRF5340-AUDIO-DK designed for audio application development with nRF5340 dual-core Bluetooth LE SOC
- VERSATILE CONNECTIVITY: Features multiple interface options including I2S, SPI, UART, and USB for comprehensive development capabilities
- POWER SPECIFICATIONS: Operates with flexible power supply range of 1.7V to 5V, suitable for various development scenarios
- TEMPERATURE RANGE: Capable of operating in environments up to +105°C, ensuring reliable performance across diverse conditions
- AI COMPATIBILITY: Supports Edge Impulse platform integration, enabling advanced machine learning and AI development capabilities
Together, these sources explain the ambition and its policy context. They do not establish iVP’s commercial performance, product specifications, customer list, or shipped volumes, and they do not show that government-supported projects have already translated into globally competitive production. The clearest reading is that India’s semiconductor future depends on multiple connected capabilities—design, products, manufacturing, packaging, testing, talent, and demand—rather than on a single initiative.
Quick Recap
Sources
- Analytics Insight, “Raja Manickam on Building India’s Semiconductor Future Through Connectivity and AI,” October 6, 2026
- iVP Semi, About
- SEMICON Southeast Asia, Raja Manickam speaker biography
- Press Information Bureau, Government of India, semiconductor and digital infrastructure figures reported in 2026
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