CIOInsider India Magazine

Pankaj Sharma is the CEO of StraitsMicro and a semiconductor industry veteran with over three decades of experience in semiconductor design, engineering, and technology commercialization. A serial entrepreneur, he successfully built Whizpace from an A*STAR spin-off into a commercially viable company and previously served as Senior Assistant Director at the Institute of Microelectronics (IME), A*STAR Singapore. With expertise in semiconductor innovation and strong ties to Singapore's semiconductor ecosystem, Pankaj is recognized for driving industry collaboration and advancing scalable technology solutions.

The global AI-powered video surveillance market is valued at approximately $6.83 billion to $7.04 billion in 2026 and is projected to surpass $10.88 billion to $26.90 billion by the early 2030s, growing at a CAGR of 14 to 22.7 percent. Driven by advancements in proactive threat detection, edge analytics, and intelligent monitoring, AI is transforming the surveillance landscape. As these systems become increasingly integral to critical infrastructure, ensuring their security, reliability, and trustworthiness has become a national priority.

From safeguarding sensitive data through hardware-level protection to reducing dependence on foreign technologies, the semiconductor industry is playing a pivotal role in building secure digital infrastructure. With cyber threats growing more sophisticated and connected devices becoming ubiquitous, innovations in silicon design, hardware security, and indigenous chip development are essential to creating resilient, future-ready surveillance ecosystems.

In this exclusive interaction CIO Insider, Pankaj Sharma, CEO, StraitsMicro, shares insights into the evolving cybersecurity landscape, the importance of hardware-level security, the need to expand trusted certification standards, India's journey toward semiconductor self-reliance, and the collaborative approach driving the development of next-generation surveillance solutions. The conversation also explores the company's long-term vision, leadership philosophy, and roadmap for advancing India's semiconductor ecosystem.

Q. What are the most significant cybersecurity risks facing AI-powered surveillance systems today, and how can they be addressed?
A.Security has become one of the most pressing challenges in today's digital landscape, making it essential to protect data from the moment it is generated. Rather than relying solely on network-level defenses, the focus is shifting toward embedding security directly into the hardware through silicon-level protection and robust authentication mechanisms.

By securing data at its source, any potential leakage can be prevented at the edge before it reaches the network. This approach is particularly critical for IoT devices, where vast amounts of sensitive data are generated and transmitted. As connected ecosystems continue to expand, hardware-level security is emerging as a fundamental pillar of cybersecurity, ensuring stronger data protection and a more resilient digital infrastructure.

Q. What role does hardware-level security play in protecting surveillance infrastructure from cyberattacks?
A. Any data generated by hardware devices such as a microphone is ultimately transmitted over the network. That makes it essential to secure the data at the very first stage rather than relying solely on network-level protection. This is the approach we are taking by embedding security directly into our System-on-Chip (SoC). Instead of waiting until the data reaches the network, we implement security measures at the source, ensuring that sensitive information is protected from the moment it is created.

This hardware-level security significantly reduces the risk of data leakage and strengthens the overall security framework.

Also Read: From Algorithm to Authenticity: The Rise of Human-Led Selling

Q. How can expanding STQC certification to consumer electronics strengthen India's cybersecurity ecosystem?
A.Surveillance is undoubtedly essential for highly secure environments such as government offices and other critical infrastructure. The Standardization Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) framework has established strong security standards for these sectors, but similar protections are not yet widely applied to consumer devices used in homes and small businesses.

If trusted, India-designed chips with STQC certification are available at a cost comparable to conventional chips, there is little reason not to adopt them. Even if such chips cost slightly more, the added investment is justified considering the importance of protecting sensitive data and ensuring privacy. Homes today contain connected devices used by children, elderly family members, and others, making robust hardware security increasingly important.

Beyond surveillance devices, the government should also focus on securing critical digital infrastructure such as Wi-Fi routers and 5G networks. These systems carry sensitive information, including banking credentials and personal data, making them attractive targets for cyberattacks.

Expanding security certification requirements beyond government installations to include residential devices, commercial establishments, and communication infrastructure would significantly strengthen the country's overall cybersecurity ecosystem.

Q. How can locally designed semiconductor solutions reduce dependence on foreign technology and strengthen trust in critical surveillance infrastructure?
A. The Indian government has made significant progress in strengthening the country's semiconductor ecosystem. While India has developed strong capabilities in secure software design and chip development, building a complete domestic semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem will take time. Initiatives such as the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) 2.0, backed by substantial government investment, are expected to accelerate this transition, but establishing foundries and advancing to leading-edge process nodes is a long-term effort.

Until India achieves full-scale manufacturing capabilities, collaborating with trusted partner nations will remain essential. Countries such as Singapore, which share a strong strategic relationship with India, play an important role in supporting the semiconductor ecosystem.

Ongoing initiatives like the India–Singapore semiconductor partnership have helped strengthen cooperation in the sector, and continued industry engagement through events such as Semicon India will further promote technology exchange and collaboration. Such partnerships will be critical in bridging the gap until India establishes a fully self-reliant semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem.

Also Read: AI-Human Synergy: Redefining the Future of IT Jobs

Q. What leadership principles and methodologies do you follow to lead your team effectively?
A. Our approach is centered on co-creation. Collaboration begins within our own team and extends across the broader ecosystem, where we work closely with semiconductor partners, electronics companies, EMS providers, and OEMs. This collaborative model enables us to share knowledge and expertise whenever it is necessary while maintaining confidentiality for sensitive information. The focus is on working together to develop solutions that address real industry needs.

We also engage extensively with ecosystem partners to gather product specifications and requirements before development begins. We take direct feedback from industry stakeholders instead of simply presenting a pre-developed FPGA-based solution that would later be converted into silicon. This approach allows us to understand OEM requirements firsthand and develop solutions tailored to their specific needs.

This customer-centric approach ensures that the final solutions are closely aligned with market needs and real-world applications.

We have openly shared our proposed SoC architecture to foster meaningful collaboration and gather valuable feedback from OEMs and EMS partners on key specifications and feature requirements.

Unlike the traditional semiconductor model—where vendors develop a System-on-Chip (SoC) and ask customers to either adopt it or seek alternatives—we have chosen a customer-centric approach.

From the outset, we work closely with our customers to co-develop solutions based on their specific requirements. This collaborative development model ensures that our products are closely aligned with market needs, accelerate customer adoption, reduce design iterations, and create greater value for the entire ecosystem.

Also Read: Powering India's AI Revolution Through Domestic Infrastructure

Q. What is your vision and strategic roadmap for the organization over the next five years?
A. We have planned to develop the Visora family of chips specifically for the surveillance market, beginning with entry-level and mid-range variants, followed by high-end solutions. In the next phase, we also plan to introduce a System-on-Chip (SoC) for Network Video Recorders (NVRs), creating a comprehensive portfolio for surveillance applications.

However, our vision extends well beyond surveillance. We see significant opportunities to develop SoCs for a wide range of applications across the broader electronics ecosystem. We are planning to setup an R&D center and are exploring technologies that can strengthen India's semiconductor capabilities, including silicon carbide solutions for power electronics. These technologies have applications across electric vehicles, solar energy systems, industrial automation, maritime, aerospace, and railway sectors.

While these initiatives will require time and sustained investment, they represent the next phase of our roadmap. Our long-term objective is to contribute to India's semiconductor ecosystem by developing indigenous technologies that address the needs of multiple high-growth industries.