India is investing heavily in an ambitious, high-stakes bid to become a global semiconductor powerhouse. But the government's push to ween the country off imports and scale up manufacturing infrastructure poses formidable challenges.

In a remote part of India's western state of Gujarat stands a vast building that encapsulates the central government's bold plan. The building is part of the emerging Dholera Industrial City, a 920-square-kilometer site that is expected to host India's first semiconductor manufacturing plant.

In December 2021, the Indian government announced it was earmarking 760 billion rupees, or more than 9 billion dollars, to build and nurture chip-making and related industries. It remains one of the most expensive projects under the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which says up to half of the money will be used to build semiconductor manufacturing plants.

"It is our aim to establish India's position as a principal partner in the global semiconductor supply chain," Modi told a semiconductor conference the following year.

On a visit to the United States this June, the Indian leader met with the CEO of semiconductor giant Micron Technology, agreeing on a deal that will see the US firm set up a 2.5-billion-dollar chip testing and assembly plant at the Dholera site.