PM Narendra Modi kicked off SEMICON India 2026 at the Yashobhoomi Convention Centre in New Delhi, marking the fifth edition of the country’s flagship semiconductor industry event.

The three-day convention, themed ‘Silicon to Systems: Building the Ecosystem,’ brings together over 600 companies from 52 nations and more than 150 speakers across a 15,000 square metre exhibition.

The event’s opening day fell on PM Modi’s 76th birthday and Vishwakarma Jayanti, which he referenced in connecting India’s craftsmanship legacy with its semiconductor push.

A roundtable with global semiconductor CEOs ahead of the launch saw Japan’s Fujifilm commit ₹800 crore to a new semiconductor materials facility in India.

India’s Semicon India Programme has approved 12 projects to date, part of a broader push to build the country’s semiconductor market to $200 billion.

The government has approved 12 semiconductor projects under the Semicon India Programme so far, with three units under the initial Semicon 1.0 phase having already commenced commercial production.

Twenty-four startups have been approved under the Design Linked Incentive scheme, which supports Indian companies developing semiconductor chip designs.

The government has also approved a Semicon 2.0 phase of the programme, structured around six pillars aimed at deepening India’s semiconductor ecosystem.

Ahead of the inauguration, PM Modi chaired a roundtable with global semiconductor CEOs, emphasizing close collaboration between government and industry on skilling, innovation and emerging technologies such as AI and quantum computing.

Japanese company Fujifilm announced an investment of ₹800 crore for a new greenfield semiconductor materials manufacturing facility in India, following its CEO’s attendance at the PM’s roundtable.

The government has set a broader target of building India’s semiconductor market into a $200 billion industry as part of its long-term electronics manufacturing strategy.

September 17 also marked PM Modi’s 76th birthday, as well as Vishwakarma Jayanti, which the PM referenced in his address while linking India’s traditional craftsmanship to its modern technology ambitions.

Semiconductor wafer on dicing tape (representative image), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Poco X8 Power and Poco X8 5G have been launched in India, with prices starting at Rs 29,999.

The X8 Power, priced at Rs 35,999, is built around a 10,000mAh battery paired with 100W HyperCharge fast charging.

The X8 Power also features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 chipset and a 6.83-inch 1.5K, 120Hz AMOLED display.

The standard X8 5G runs on a Snapdragon 6s Gen 4 chipset, with a 9,000mAh battery and a 50-megapixel dual rear camera setup.

Both phones will be available from September 11, 2026, exclusively through Flipkart.

At 229 grams and 8.65mm thick, the X8 Power’s weight and dimensions reflect the trade-offs of housing a 10,000mAh battery in a phone of this size.

The standard Poco X8 5G runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 4 chipset, with RAM options of 6GB, 8GB and 12GB.

Camera hardware on the Poco X8 5G includes a 50-megapixel primary sensor paired with a 2-megapixel secondary lens, along with a 16-megapixel front camera.

The Poco X8 Power’s 10,000mAh Silicon-Carbon battery is paired with 100W HyperCharge fast charging, aiming to offset the downside of a larger battery with quicker top-up times.

Poco has positioned both phones squarely in the budget-to-midrange segment, competing against similarly specced offerings from Redmi, Realme and other Chinese-origin brands in India.

Both phones will go on sale from September 11, 2026, at 12 noon, exclusively through Flipkart.

Launch offers include a Rs 2,000 coupon discount and a Rs 1,000 bank offer or exchange bonus, bringing effective prices down to Rs 26,999 for the X8 and Rs 32,999 for the X8 Power.

The Poco X8 Power 5G is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 chipset and features a 6.83-inch 1.5K, 120Hz AMOLED display.

The X8 Power carries IP66, IP68, IP69 and IP69K ratings for dust and water resistance, an unusually comprehensive set of protections for its price segment.

Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (representative Poco smartphone image)

Yamaha has launched its new R2 motorcycle in India, with the base trim priced at Rs 2.30 lakh ex-showroom.

The lineup extends to the R2 Quick Shifter at Rs 2.39 lakh and the top-tier R2M at Rs 2.53 lakh, both ex-showroom.

The R2 runs on a new 204cc, liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine producing 26.5 PS and 19.1 Nm of torque, paired with a six-speed gearbox and assist-slipper clutch.

Weighing 149kg, the bike is 11 to 14kg lighter than rivals including the KTM RC 200 and Hero Karizma XMR.

Yamaha will start deliveries of the R2 from mid-September 2026 via its Blue Square dealerships in India.

All three variants get a 5-inch TFT display, dual-channel ABS, traction control and Yamaha’s Ride Control system with Street, Sport and Rain modes.

The R2’s main rivals include the KTM RC 200, priced between Rs 2.14 lakh and Rs 2.32 lakh, and the Hero Karizma XMR, priced between Rs 1.87 lakh and Rs 1.88 lakh.

Deliveries of the Yamaha R2 are set to begin from mid-September 2026, with the bike sold through Yamaha’s Blue Square dealership network across India.

Estimated on-road pricing in Delhi ranges from roughly Rs 2.60 lakh for the base variant to about Rs 2.85 lakh for the top-spec R2M.

The R2 had opened for bookings ahead of its official launch, with Yamaha collecting refundable pre-booking amounts as a gauge of early demand before the bike’s confirmed pricing was revealed.

The R2 is powered by a completely new 204cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine with double overhead camshafts and four valves, producing 26.5 PS at 10,000 rpm and 19.1 Nm of torque at 8,000 rpm.

Power is routed through a six-speed gearbox paired with an assist-slipper clutch, aimed at smoother downshifts during aggressive riding.

At 149kg kerb weight, the R2 is roughly 11 to 14kg lighter than key rivals, a difference Yamaha is positioning as a handling advantage.

Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (representative Yamaha YZF-R series motorcycle image)