A New India

The doors closed, muffling the noise of Delhi's restless streets.

Inside the room, Prime Minister Rohan, Dr. Homi Bhabha, and Finance Minister Harish Mehta sat facing each other, their expressions a mixture of skepticism and expectation.

Rohan didn't waste a second. His voice was sharp, direct. "We need to start our own semiconductor industry."

Harish barely glanced up from his notebook. "Another ambitious idea. And where exactly do you think we'll find the money for this?"

Bhabha leaned back, arms crossed, watching Rohan. "Semiconductors aren't like steel mills or dams. This isn't about brute force. It's about precision, science, years of research. You're jumping ahead of yourself."

"I'm not," Rohan said. "I know exactly what I'm saying. Semiconductors are the future. Radios, communications, defense, even computing everything will depend on them. We cannot afford to be a country that only imports technology. We must build."

Harish scoffed, finally looking up. "And how exactly do you propose we do that? We don't have the infrastructure, we don't have the engineers, and last I checked, we certainly don't have the money."

Rohan remained unfazed. "We start small. Research first. Manufacturing next."

Bhabha interjected, his tone skeptical. "You're talking about fabricating transistors. That requires ultra-pure materials, specialized machinery, an entire ecosystem of trained personnel. None of which exist here."

"That's why we're going to create them," Rohan said. "First, we establish a National Semiconductor Research Lab under Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.

It will focus on developing transistor technology. We bring in our best physicists, send some abroad for training, hire foreign consultants if necessary."

Bhabha narrowed his eyes. "CSIR is focused on industrial and chemical research. You're asking it to pivot to something it has no background in."

Rohan nodded. "Because this is bigger than what CSIR has done before. This lab will be different its only job will be semiconductor research. We'll bring in physicists, materials scientists, and electrical engineers. If we don't have them, we train them and send them."

Harish exhaled sharply. "Send them where? The Americans won't give us their secrets. They nearly cried with us touching nuclear energy."

Rohan smirked. "Then we don't ask for their secrets. We ask for collaboration."

Bhabha narrowed his eyes. "With who?"

"Bell Labs."

Harish let out a short laugh. "You think Bell Labs will just hand us their research? Out of kindness?"

"I don't need them to hand it over. I need them to see the long-term benefits," Rohan countered. "Right now, they dominate global telecommunications. But the future isn't just the West. India will be a massive electronics market. If they help us now, they'll have a stake in that market."

Bhabha nodded slowly, considering. "That's… possible. But even if they agree, they won't share cutting-edge research."

"They don't need to," Rohan said. "They just need to help us build our first fabrication facility. If they train our people, give us a roadmap, we'll take care of the rest."

Harish sighed. "And what if they say no?"

"Then we turn to the Soviets," Rohan said simply.

Bhabha raised an eyebrow. "You're playing both sides?"

"I'm keeping options open," Rohan replied. "The Soviets would love to counterbalance American influence in technology. They may not be ahead in semiconductors, but they have research we can leverage."

Harish shook his head. "Even if you convince them, even if the money appears, how will you actually build a manufacturing industry? This isn't like setting up a steel mill. Semiconductors require extreme precision, controlled environments, high-purity materials. We don't even produce high-grade silicon!"

"We will," Rohan said firmly. "India Semiconductor Corporation. A state-backed enterprise dedicated to fabrication. It will start small transistors first, then integrated circuits as we gain expertise."

Bhabha tapped his fingers on the armrest. "A government-run semiconductor company? No private involvement?"

"For now, yes," Rohan admitted. "The private sector isn't ready for this scale of investment. But eventually, we bring them in."

Harish sighed. "Let's say we get the funding. Who runs the research lab?"

"You," Rohan said without hesitation, looking directly at Bhabha.

Bhabha let out a short laugh. "Me? I'm already running atomic energy research. Now you want me to build a semiconductor industry?"

"You understand what's at stake," Rohan said. "And you know how to build from scratch."

Bhabha exhaled, rubbing his chin. "I won't do this unless I have complete authority. I need to be able to recruit the best, spend without bureaucratic interference, and most importantly i need time."

"You'll have all of it," Rohan assured him. "Name your terms."

Bhabha leaned forward. "I want a dedicated budget. No delays, no debates in Parliament. If I ask for machinery, it arrives. If I need talent, we bring them in. No red tape."

Rohan nodded. "Done."

Harish frowned. "That's not how government works."

"It will for this," Rohan said firmly. "If we let bureaucrats drag this down, we'll fail before we begin."

Harish sighed. "Fine. Let's say you get your lab. Where do you put it?"

"Bangalore," Rohan said without hesitation.

Harish smirked. "Bangalore? Not Bombay or Delhi?"

"Bangalore," Rohan repeated. "It's far from political interference. It has a growing scientific community. And we can control the environment better there."

Bhabha raised an eyebrow. "You're already thinking about long-term expansion, aren't you?"

"I am," Rohan admitted. "I don't just want a research lab. I want a semiconductor hub. An ecosystem where private companies can one day join in, where we don't just manufacture but innovate."

Harish sighed, rubbing his temples. "Alright. I'll divert funds from the industrial budget, but I need tangible results within five years."

"You'll have them," Rohan promised.

Bhabha leaned back, crossing his arms. "You're asking a lot, Rohan."

"Because India needs a lot," Rohan said. "We missed the first Industrial Revolution. We're already behind in modern electronics. I refuse to let us miss the semiconductor revolution too."

A moment of silence settled in the room.

Harish tapped his fingers on the desk. "This is your gamble. If it fails, it's on you."

Rohan nodded. "I accept that."

Bhabha exhaled sharply. "Fine. Assume I take this on. We start small. Research first, then fabrication. But I need a team our brightest minds, trained by the best and Sarabai."

"You'll have them," Rohan said.

Bhabha glanced at Harish, then back at Rohan. "Then let's get to work."

No more doubts. No more hesitation.

The decision was made.

And India's future had just changed.