Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will travel to Japan from August 24 to 27, leading an over 200-member business delegation in what the government has described as India’s largest-ever trade delegation to the country.

Goyal’s four-day visit will cover Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka and focus on strengthening trade, investment and industrial cooperation between India and Japan. The delegation includes representatives from manufacturing, semiconductors, clean energy, steel, automobiles, financial services, healthcare and startups.

In Tokyo, Goyal is scheduled to hold meetings with senior executives of major Japanese business groups and industrial houses that have been long-term partners in India’s economic development. He will also participate in a roundtable with Keidanren, the Japan Business Federation, which represents more than 1,500 leading Japanese companies. Discussions will focus on areas including semiconductors and artificial intelligence, startups and engagement with foreign institutional investors.

The minister is also expected to hold bilateral talks with Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Ryosei Akazawa. His schedule includes meetings with senior members of the Japanese government and Parliament, besides an interaction with the Indian community in Japan.

The visit will then move to Nagoya, one of central Japan’s major industrial hubs. Goyal will lead a roadshow with the Chubu Economic Federation and the Nagoya Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He is also scheduled to interact with the leadership of Aichi Prefecture and major investors in the automotive and steel manufacturing sectors.

The final leg of the visit will take place in Osaka, where Goyal will participate in an investor and business roadshow. Meetings with leading Japanese companies from the electronics, industrial and consumer sectors are expected to highlight investment opportunities in India’s manufacturing, clean-energy and consumer markets.

Japan has remained an important partner for India in investment, technology and industrial cooperation. Japanese companies have established a significant presence in sectors such as automobiles, steel, electronics, financial services and infrastructure.

The government said the participation of more than 200 business representatives from diverse sectors reflects the growing scope of India-Japan economic engagement. The visit is expected to provide fresh momentum to bilateral trade and investment while opening opportunities for cooperation in high-technology manufacturing and next-generation industries.

The focus on advanced manufacturing, clean energy, semiconductors and emerging technologies also aligns with India’s broader Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat@2047 objectives.

India is expanding its capabilities across semiconductors, artificial intelligence, chip design and high-performance computing as the government seeks to build a technology ecosystem focused on domestic manufacturing, innovation and supply-chain resilience.

According to data released by the government on Thursday, the semiconductor and AI sectors are increasingly being developed as interconnected parts of India's technology strategy, covering chip design and fabrication, advanced packaging, computing infrastructure, indigenous AI models and deep-tech skills.

Semiconductor Mission Expands

The first phase of the semiconductor programme was launched with a budgetary outlay of ₹76,000 crore. The government said the programme supports the wider semiconductor value chain, including chip design, fabrication, packaging, testing, equipment, materials and talent development.

In July 2026, the government approved a ₹1.27 lakh crore budget for Semicon India 2.0. The next phase focuses on six strategic areas — chip design, equipment and materials, semiconductor fabs, ATMP/OSAT, research and development, and talent.

The government said 12 semiconductor projects have been approved across six states, involving investment of more than ₹1.64 lakh crore. These include silicon and compound semiconductor fabs, display fabrication and advanced packaging facilities.

Three facilities have already started commercial production, marking a shift from policy support and project approvals towards actual semiconductor manufacturing.

Building Domestic Chip Design

India is also strengthening its chip-design capabilities through initiatives such as the Chips to Startup programme.

Electronic Design Automation tools have been made available across 320 academic institutions, while more than 68,000 students have received training under the programme.

Under the Design Linked Incentive scheme, 24 semiconductor design projects have received financial support. Another 105 startups and MSMEs have received assistance for access to EDA tools.

The government said 75 institutions had completed tape-outs of 211 chip designs by April 2026. Seven chips have subsequently been manufactured across different technology nodes, including advanced nodes such as 12 nanometres.

Global Semiconductor Partnerships

India is also expanding international cooperation with countries and regions including the United States, Japan, Singapore, the Netherlands, Germany and the European Union.

The government said Semicon India 2025 attracted more than 350 exhibitors and participants from 48 countries and territories. The event recorded more than 35,000 registrations and 30,000 physical attendees, along with 25,000 online viewers.

Twelve memoranda of understanding were also announced to support product development, services and semiconductor skill development.

IndiaAI Builds Computing Capacity

Alongside semiconductors, the government is expanding the country's AI infrastructure through the IndiaAI Mission, approved with an outlay of around ₹10,372 crore.

The mission's shared computing capacity crossed 45,000 GPUs by June 2026. By August, 237 projects had accessed subsidised AI computing, accounting for 93.18 lakh GPU hours.

The infrastructure is intended to provide researchers, startups and innovators with affordable access to high-performance computing required for developing, training and testing AI models.

Indigenous AI Models

The government said 20 proposals for indigenous foundation AI models were selected from 506 applications. These include 12 large multimodal models and eight small language models.

The initiative is aimed at developing AI systems suited to Indian languages, requirements and local contexts.

The AIKosh platform had more than 14,000 datasets and 331 AI models as of July 2026, providing resources for researchers and developers.

IndiaAI initiatives had also produced 62 AI prototypes and deployed 20 AI solutions in public-sector institutions by August 2026. Eleven national-level hackathons and innovation challenges have been organised to encourage practical AI applications.

Focus on Responsible AI

The government said 58 Artificial Intelligence Centres of Excellence had been approved across states and Union Territories by August 2026, with 22 centres in 13 states and Union Territories already approved and operational work underway.

The IndiaAI Mission has also approved 13 projects under its Safe and Trusted AI pillar. These projects address areas including bias reduction, machine unlearning, deepfake detection, privacy-preserving AI, explainability and AI risk assessment.

The National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems has established 25 technology innovation hubs supporting work in AI, robotics, cybersecurity, quantum technology and other emerging fields.

Data Centres and AI Infrastructure

India's data-centre capacity has expanded alongside the growth of AI and digital services.

Installed data-centre capacity has increased from around 375 MW in 2020 to approximately 1,575 MW currently. Major data-centre locations include Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR and Gujarat.

The sector is also expanding into states such as Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, which are emerging as new destinations for data-centre investments.

India’s Global AI Position

The government cited the Stanford Global AI Vibrancy Report 2025, which ranked India third globally in AI competitiveness and ecosystem vibrancy.

India was also the second-largest contributor to AI projects on GitHub in 2025, according to the government.

The India AI Impact Summit held in February 2026 attracted delegations from more than 100 countries and 20 international organisations. Ninety-two countries and organisations adopted the summit declaration.

India also joined the Pax Silica coalition at the summit, aimed at strengthening global silicon supply-chain cooperation with the United States and other partner countries.

Chips and AI Drive Next Phase

The government's semiconductor and AI strategy is moving beyond project approvals towards manufacturing, commercial deployment and domestic intellectual property.

Semicon India 2.0 is expected to place greater emphasis on equipment, materials, advanced packaging, research, semiconductor IP and skilled manpower. At the same time, the IndiaAI Mission is building shared computing infrastructure and supporting AI applications across government, industry, academia and startups.

Together, the two sectors are emerging as key components of India's broader push for technology self-reliance, resilient supply chains and a globally competitive digital economy.

Australia and Vietnam have agreed to strengthen their comprehensive strategic partnership, expanding cooperation in defence, maritime security, agriculture, border protection and critical supply chains during Vietnamese President To Lam's official visit to Sydney.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and President Lam discussed closer bilateral coordination amid growing geopolitical and economic uncertainty in the Indo-Pacific.

The two sides also agreed to increase cooperation in critical minerals, semiconductors and clean energy, while expressing concern over trade practices that can disrupt global supply chains.

New Maritime Security Agreement

A key outcome of the visit was the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Vietnam Coast Guard and the Australian Border Force.

The agreement is intended to strengthen cooperation in maritime law enforcement and improve coordination between the two agencies.

A separate agreement was also signed to expand cooperation and mutual assistance between the border forces of Australia and Vietnam.

The agreements come as both countries place greater emphasis on maritime security and maintaining stable sea routes across the Indo-Pacific.

Focus on Peaceful Dispute Resolution

President To Lam said Australia and Vietnam needed stronger dialogue and greater mutual trust as international developments become increasingly complex.

Speaking alongside Albanese, Lam said countries should strengthen dialogue, build trust and protect security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight.

He also stressed that disputes should be resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law.

The comments come against the backdrop of continuing territorial disputes and strategic competition in the South China Sea.

South China Sea Remains Key Issue

Australia has increased its maritime engagement in the Indo-Pacific and regularly deploys naval vessels and surveillance aircraft in the South China Sea.

Vietnam, China and several other countries have overlapping territorial claims in the region.

In April, Australia joined Canada and the United States in a multilateral transit through the South China Sea, highlighting Canberra's broader approach to maintaining freedom of navigation in contested waters.

For Vietnam, closer cooperation with Australia provides another avenue for maritime law enforcement and regional security coordination.

Trade Ties Continue to Grow

Economic relations were also discussed during Lam's visit.

According to the joint statement, two-way trade between Australia and Vietnam increased 22 per cent year-on-year during the first half of 2026, reaching approximately $8.1 billion.

Vietnam's exports to Australia include electronics, smartphones and garments.

Australia supplies Vietnam with commodities including coal, minerals and natural gas.

The growth in trade has encouraged both countries to explore areas where their economies can become more closely integrated.

Critical Minerals and Semiconductors

Australia and Vietnam also agreed to strengthen cooperation on critical minerals, semiconductors and clean energy.

Critical minerals have become increasingly important to global manufacturing and the development of technologies such as batteries, renewable-energy systems and advanced electronics.

Both countries are looking to diversify supply chains and reduce exposure to disruptions affecting strategic industries.

Cooperation in these areas could create opportunities for investment, technology partnerships and greater integration between Australian resources and Vietnam's growing manufacturing sector.

Agriculture and Border Cooperation

Agriculture and border security were also included in the expanded bilateral cooperation agenda.

The agreements are expected to support greater institutional coordination and mutual assistance between Australian and Vietnamese authorities.

For Australia, stronger ties with Vietnam form part of its wider effort to build relationships across Southeast Asia. For Vietnam, deeper engagement with Australia provides opportunities to expand economic and security partnerships beyond its traditional relationships.

Broader Indo-Pacific Partnership

The latest agreements mark another step in the development of Australia-Vietnam relations following the elevation of their bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

Both governments are seeking closer cooperation at a time when the Indo-Pacific is facing geopolitical competition, supply-chain disruptions and growing maritime security concerns.

The focus on defence, border security, critical minerals, semiconductors and clean energy reflects an attempt to broaden the relationship beyond traditional trade and diplomatic ties.

The two countries are expected to continue working together on regional security, economic resilience and practical cooperation as they deepen their strategic partnership.

Microsoft is reportedly preparing to unveil its next-generation Maia 300 artificial intelligence chip as early as September, marking another step in the company's effort to expand its custom silicon programme and reduce its dependence on Nvidia's processors.

According to a report by The Information, cited by Reuters, Microsoft could introduce the new AI accelerator as soon as next month. The company has not announced an official launch date, but its latest move underlines the growing competition among major technology companies to develop their own hardware for increasingly demanding AI workloads.

Microsoft entered the custom AI chip race in November 2023, when it introduced its first Maia processor. Since then, the company has been working to expand its in-house silicon capabilities as demand for AI computing continues to rise.

Maia 300 Could Mark Bigger Push

The reported Maia 300 launch comes as Microsoft seeks to scale up its custom-chip operations.

Microsoft's Azure cloud business relies heavily on advanced computing infrastructure to support AI services and large language models. Developing its own processors could give the company greater control over hardware availability, performance and costs while reducing exposure to the supply constraints and pricing of third-party accelerators.

The move also comes at a time when major cloud providers are increasingly developing specialised chips for artificial intelligence.

Google and Amazon Step Up

Microsoft is competing with technology giants including Alphabet's Google and Amazon, both of which have invested heavily in their own AI processors.

Google has developed its Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) for AI workloads and has expanded their use across its cloud operations. Amazon has similarly developed its Trainium family of processors as part of its strategy to offer alternatives to Nvidia hardware.

The growing investment in custom silicon reflects the enormous cost of operating AI data centres, where processors account for a significant portion of infrastructure expenditure.

TSMC Manufacturing Talks

Microsoft is reportedly in discussions with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to secure manufacturing capacity for the Maia 300.

According to the report, Microsoft has been seeking capacity for more than 300,000 chips, with deliveries potentially beginning in 2027.

The company is also reportedly looking to significantly increase production and encourage major cloud customers, including AI company Anthropic, to use the Maia platform.

Microsoft, however, has indicated that the production figures cited in the report do not represent the full scale of its custom-silicon programme.

"Microsoft continues to invest in custom silicon as part of our long-term AI infrastructure strategy," Andrew Wall, general manager for Microsoft's Azure Maia, said in a statement. He added that the company does not disclose production volumes.

Ambitious Production Target

Microsoft's longer-term objective could be considerably larger than the initial reported production plan.

According to The Information, the company ultimately aims to secure manufacturing capacity for more than 1 million Maia 300 chips. However, the availability of components and ongoing negotiations over manufacturing capacity could affect the final scale of production.

Securing sufficient semiconductor capacity has become increasingly important as technology companies compete for advanced chips needed to expand their AI infrastructure.

Built on Earlier Generations

The Maia 300 would follow Microsoft's earlier custom AI processors.

The company unveiled the Maia 200 in January, with the second-generation processor manufactured by TSMC using 3-nanometre technology.

The progression from Maia 100 to Maia 200 and the reported development of Maia 300 indicates Microsoft's intention to build a sustained custom-silicon roadmap rather than treating its chips as a one-off experiment.

Nvidia Still Dominates AI Chips

Despite Microsoft's efforts, Nvidia remains one of the most important suppliers of AI accelerators used by cloud providers and AI companies worldwide.

Microsoft's custom-chip programme is therefore not necessarily an immediate replacement for Nvidia hardware. Instead, the strategy could give the company another source of computing capacity while allowing it to optimise certain workloads for its own cloud infrastructure.

The development also highlights a broader shift in the technology industry. As AI becomes increasingly central to cloud computing, software companies and cloud operators are investing more heavily in semiconductor design to gain greater control over the underlying technology.

If Microsoft proceeds with the reported September unveiling, Maia 300 could become an important component of the company's long-term strategy to build a larger, more diversified AI computing infrastructure.

India and Australia on Thursday elevated their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership by signing a series of landmark agreements spanning civil nuclear energy, defence, trade, critical minerals, emerging technologies and space cooperation. The announcements came after delegation-level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese during the Third India-Australia Annual Summit in Melbourne.

The most significant outcome of the summit was Australia's decision to begin supplying uranium to India for peaceful civilian purposes under the 2015 Australia-India Nuclear Cooperation Agreement. The arrangement is expected to strengthen India's long-term clean energy ambitions while deepening bilateral cooperation in the civil nuclear sector.

Addressing a joint press conference, Prime Minister Modi described India and Australia as trusted partners capable of working together to address global challenges ranging from energy security to resilient supply chains. He said Australian uranium would support India's ambitious nuclear power expansion, complementing the country's renewable energy targets.

Boost to Clean Energy Partnership

India has set a target of achieving 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 and 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047. Modi said Australia's abundant uranium reserves, technological expertise and investment potential would contribute significantly to India's clean energy transition.

The two countries also announced plans to establish a Critical Minerals Corridor, aimed at strengthening supply chains for minerals essential to electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, batteries and advanced manufacturing technologies.

The initiative comes as several countries seek to diversify supplies of critical minerals amid growing geopolitical competition and concerns over concentrated global production.

Space and Technology Cooperation Expands

In another major announcement, Australia agreed to host a temporary space tracking terminal on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands to support India's Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission. The facility is expected to improve communication and tracking capabilities during future Indian crewed space missions.

Both leaders also committed to expanding cooperation in artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, semiconductors, cyber security and digital public infrastructure. Modi highlighted that India has committed more than $10 billion towards AI, quantum computing and semiconductor manufacturing, creating opportunities for Australian technology companies and investors.

The two countries also welcomed a new Australia–Canada–India Technology and Innovation Partnership to promote collaboration in emerging technologies.

Defence and Maritime Ties Strengthened

Security cooperation featured prominently during the summit, with India and Australia unveiling a Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation.

The agreement includes the establishment of an India-Australia Defence Innovation Corridor connecting defence start-ups, industries and research institutions. Both nations also agreed to deepen cooperation in shipbuilding, repair and maintenance while enhancing interoperability between their armed forces through more complex joint military exercises.

Additionally, the two sides endorsed a Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap aimed at ensuring a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific region.

Trade, Investment and Economic Cooperation

Prime Minister Modi called for accelerating negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), describing it as a balanced and mutually beneficial trade pact that would unlock greater investment and business opportunities.

He noted that India's exports to Australia have doubled since the implementation of the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA), reflecting the growing strength of bilateral trade.

The Prime Minister invited Australian investors to participate in India's rapidly expanding infrastructure sector, including ports, airports, highways, railways, data centres and clean manufacturing projects. He also proposed stronger partnerships between states, universities, industries and smaller cities in both countries to broaden the scope of bilateral engagement.

Shared Vision for the Indo-Pacific

Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to combating terrorism, strengthening regional stability and promoting dialogue to resolve global conflicts. They reiterated support for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific and pledged closer coordination through regional and multilateral forums.

Using a cricket analogy to describe the relationship, Modi said India-Australia meetings combine the strategic planning of a One-Day International, the speed of a T20 match and the endurance of a Test series, underscoring the long-term nature of the partnership.

The summit marked another significant milestone in India-Australia relations, signalling closer cooperation across strategic sectors ranging from nuclear energy and defence to advanced technology, critical minerals and space exploration.