On 26 October 2026, Indian IT services company HCLTech and Japan’s Rapidus Corporation inaugurated dedicated semiconductor engineering development centres in Bengaluru and Hubli, Karnataka. The centres will support Rapidus’ engineering requirements and develop a pipeline of Indian talent for its workforce needs in Japan.
Semiconductor engineering services
The centres will provide mask design, design infrastructure, process design kit (PDK) development, design technology co-optimization (DTCO) and layout design. A photomask carries patterns used to transfer circuit designs onto a semiconductor wafer during manufacturing. A PDK is a collection of process-specific design rules and models used by chip designers to develop and verify integrated circuits. DTCO involves jointly optimising chip design and semiconductor manufacturing processes. Layout design arranges circuit components and their connections in a physical chip design.
Advanced logic semiconductors
Rapidus is a Japanese company focused on developing and manufacturing advanced logic semiconductors. Logic chips process data and perform operations in electronic systems. Rapidus has a goal of mass-producing 2-nanometre products in the second half of fiscal year 2027. The nanometre designation refers to a semiconductor process node; it is not a direct measurement of every transistor feature on a chip.
Chip design and manufacturing concepts
Semiconductor development includes design and manufacturing stages, including wafer processing and advanced packaging. Chip design defines the circuit architecture and physical layout, while wafer processing forms integrated circuits on semiconductor material. Advanced packaging connects and protects semiconductor components in a finished package. The partnership’s announced engineering work concerns design and development capabilities; the two centres are not identified as manufacturing plants.
Important Facts for Exams
- Rapidus Corporation is based in Japan and focuses on advanced logic semiconductors.
- HCLTech is an Indian IT services company.
- PDK stands for process design kit and supports integrated-circuit design for a specific manufacturing process.
- The announced centres are in Bengaluru and Hubli, Karnataka.
India-Japan engineering partnership
The partnership combines Rapidus’ semiconductor requirements with HCLTech’s engineering services and includes training and talent-pipeline development for work in Japan. The companies have not disclosed the partnership’s financial value or the number of engineers expected to work at the centres.
