India is a semiconductor design powerhouse. Nearly every major semiconductor company has a presence in India, designing some of the most advanced chips in the world. 

But once those designs are completed, they are sent to the United States, China, South Korea or Taiwan to fabricate. 

It begs the question. Why can't India fabricate any of the chips they lay out?

In the 1980s, the Indian government attempted to follow China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Korea, and Singapore in creating their own semiconductor manufacturing national champion.