The India Photonics Association (IPA), the country’s first independent, ecosystem-driven organization focused exclusively on photonics, was formally inaugurated in the presence of Shri Sarin Sundar, CTO, India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), alongside industry leaders, technology specialists, researchers and other key stakeholders. The launch marked an important step toward strengthening collaboration, sharing knowledge and enabling coordinated growth across India’s photonics sector. The formal event was preceded by a networking session, where participants connected with peers, exchanged perspectives and discussed emerging trends and developments shaping the future of photonics in India.
The IPA aims to serve as a neutral platform for collaboration, knowledge-sharing and industry engagement, bringing together researchers, startups, established companies and academic institutions to work towards common priorities and accelerate innovation across the sector.
“Success of any association and ecosystem driven society is defined by how much tangible value we are able to create by connecting and empowering the members to grow the business opportunities. And that is what we look forward to with the IPA, we want it to include end-to-end supply chain partnerships to build world-class Photonics products in India, for India and for the World” said Rohin Y, Board Member, India Photonics Association and Founder-CEO, LightSpeed Photonics.
“Every byte of data crossing India’s internet, every image from our satellites, every laser in our operating theatres — all of it is photonics. We are not building a niche association. We are building the foundation of India’s digital future.” said Dr Ashwini Aggarwal, Director General, India Photonics Association.
Photonics — the science and technology of light — underpins telecommunications, semiconductors, defence, healthcare and advanced manufacturing. India’s photonics ecosystem is gaining momentum, with the country’s photonics market estimated at USD 78.4 billion in 2025 and projected to reach USD 155 billion by 2034. Silicon photonics, central to next-generation data infrastructure, is growing at close to 29% CAGR.
“Silicon gave the world the chip. Photonics will give the world what comes next. India needs to be at that frontier — not watching from the sidelines,” further added by Dr Aggarwal, Director General, IPA.
India is already witnessing the growing importance of photonics across critical infrastructure and emerging technologies. BharatNet is the world’s largest optical fibre programme, ISRO is deploying optical inter-satellite links, and data centres increasingly depend on optical transceivers. These developments reflect the expanding role of photonics in India’s digital and technological infrastructure.
India’s growing photonics capabilities are already visible across areas such as optical fibre networks, satellite communications and data-centre infrastructure. The IPA will also seek to provide technically rigorous, industry-grounded inputs to support informed policymaking and strengthen India’s position in the global photonics ecosystem.
