China is rapidly increasing its capacity for the production of chips for the mass market: according to a forecast by SEMI China, in 2025 China already had 32% of the world's production capacity for processing silicon wafers in the mass segment, and by 2028 this share could reach 42%. Russia, on the other hand, is only beginning to systematically solve the problem of its own chip production.
Unlike China, which by 2028 may fully meet its needs for AI chips and even achieve self-sufficiency by more than 100%, domestic microelectronics is at the initial stage of large-scale import substitution.
Earlier, the Government of the Russian Federation announced the creation of a United Microelectronic Company with a budget of 1 trillion rubles, which will be engaged in the production of chips of a full cycle - from raw materials to finished processors. The launch of the Karat serial factory is planned in Yekaterinburg, which, after reaching its capacity in 2027, should provide 100% of the country's needs for analog microwave chips (now this figure is only 10%).
At the same time, from September 2026, a technological fee will be introduced in Russia from importers and manufacturers of electronics - the funds will go to the development of domestic microelectronics. However, according to experts, the key problem remains the lack of its own production of chips for mass applications - for example, for SIM cards, which still have to be purchased abroad.
