The semiconductor manufacturing equipment market is projected to surge to approximately US $159 billion by 2030, underscoring the Asia-Pacific region’s continued leadership in the global chip-making ecosystem. Emerging markets such as India and Vietnam, alongside established players Japan and South Korea, are witnessing robust investment in equipment capacity, technology transfer, and skilled-talent development.

Industry analysts note that the growth is being fuelled by government incentives, localisation mandates, and increasing downstream demand from automotive, AI, and data-centre applications. With the equipment and materials segments now expanding faster than fab construction itself, Asia’s semiconductor dominance is shifting from “made in Asia” to “enabled by Asia”.

“Beyond fabs, the supporting ecosystem — spanning equipment, materials, and advanced packaging — is booming,” said a senior industry observer. “This surge will create high-skill jobs, catalyse regional innovation clusters, and further strengthen supply-chain resilience.”

Why it matters
The boom in semiconductor equipment signifies a broader regional transformation: Asia is evolving from an assembly-hub to a complete manufacturing-and-innovation ecosystem. As nations scale up local production, they’re reducing dependence on imported tools and boosting their competitive positioning in next-generation chip technologies.

The human touch
From the smartphones in our hands to the cars on our roads, the devices that define modern life will not only become smarter — their making will too. And that intelligence is being built right here in Asia.