How does an economist view the complexities of the semiconductor supply chain? While engineers build the chips, it is economics, policy, and geopolitics that determine who leads the industry.

In this episode of Chai & Chips, I sit down with Dr. Badri Narayanan Gopalakrishnan, a seasoned economist and Fellow - NITI Aayog. We move beyond the technical specs to discuss the macro-level levers India must pull to transition from a service provider to a global technology architect.

From the "snowball effect" of India’s electronics exports to lessons learned from Taiwan, China, and Vietnam, Dr. Badri provides a unique "30,000-foot view" of the ecosystem. We also dive into the symbiotic relationship between AI and chip manufacturing, the future of work, and why we need to move from "Zero-Sum" geopolitics to "Infinite Sum" geo-economics.

 Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction: The Economist's View on Semiconductors

02:30 - India’s Tipping Point: From "Doing Nothing" to Exporting Billions

07:36 - Learning from Taiwan: The Power of Education and Industry Promotion

13:13 - The China & Vietnam Playbook: Supply Chains and Investment Incentives

19:17 - From Policy to Execution: The Need for R&D and State Coordination

22:15 - The AI-Semiconductor Symbiosis: How AI is Reshaping Chip Design

27:32 - The Future of Work: Navigating the AI Disruption in India’s Job Market

39:49 - Lightning Round: Economics, Innovation, and Skills for the Future

46:43 - Geo-Economics: Balancing Tariffs, Trade, and Global Alliances

59:37 - Vision 2047: India as a Global Technology Architect

Resources:

Find Badri on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/badrinarayanang/

Find Prakash on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakash-mallya/  

Find Prakash on X: https://x.com/PrakashMallya

Find Prakash on Substack: https://www.prakashmallya.com/s/chai-and-chips-podcast

Find Prakash on Medium: https://medium.com/@pmallya2411

All episode transcripts are available on Substack and Medium.