Semiconductor Geopolitics - Past, Present, and Future

Book review of ‘When the Chips are Down: A Deep Dive into a Global Crisis’ by Pranay Kotasthane and Abhiram Manchi

Abstract

This article reviews the book When the Chips are Down: A Deep Dive into a Global Crisis - the first book that deals with the geopolitics of semiconductors comprehensively from an Indian lens, while placing it simultaneously in the global context. The book demystifies semiconductors and their complex supply chain, alongside the evolving roles of various nation-states in it.  The authors explain the 'meta-critical' aspects of semiconductors using three lenses: geopolitics, geoeconomics, and technology.   Overall, the book is an essential read for policy makers in India; in less than two-hundred pages, it covers the essentials that can help create an action plan for the next twenty years for the Indian semiconductor industry.