Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday that two major semiconductor ideas are in the works and would be finalized in the coming months, according to PTI. However, the Ministry of Electronics did not provide any details about the suggestions.
The initiatives would concentrate on a specific sector in which India can emerge as a global leader, he said.
Vaishnaw remarked on the sidelines of the groundbreaking ceremony for Micron’s semiconductor factory that the global semiconductor giant is recognising India’s success in the area, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s capacity to execute vast and complicated policy choices is impressive.
“This has developed India as a major trusted geography in which global industry players want to come. We can see in the coming few months at least two more large semiconductor proposals taking shape,” PTI quoted Vaishnaw.
He asserted that there are few specific categories in which India may succeed and that the semiconductor programs would focus on fields in which India can export technology to other countries.
According to the minister, the first chip will be produced in December 2024 at the Micron factory, on which work has already started.
Micron announced in June the establishment of a semiconductor assembly and testing factory in Gujarat for a total investment of USD 2.75 billion (about Rs 22,540 crore).
Micron will spend up to USD 825 million in two stages to build the factory, with the balance coming from the federal and state governments.
Tata Projects has been hired to build the new assembly and testing plant in Sanand in stages.
The first phase will feature 500,000 square feet of planned cleanroom space and will begin operations in late 2024.
According to the minister, semiconductor demand is expected to rise from about Rs 2 lakh crore to Rs 5 lakh crore in the coming years.
“India is already a very large design hub. With manufacturing coming to India, the entire process and value chain will come to our country and Bharat will become a major semiconductor hub in coming years,” Vaishnaw said.
Micron Senior Vice President Gursharan Singh said during the opening that the company has recruited its first 34 employees for the factory.
According to government officials, five Micron suppliers, including SIMTEC, are investigating the feasibility of establishing a facility in India.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Electronics and IT, said that the Micron facility in Gujarat signals the start of an exciting journey in India’s semiconductor ecosystem towards making India a semiconductor country.
“Micron’s state-of-the-art modern facility will serve as a beacon for all investors, manufacturers, and participants in the global semiconductor ecosystem, encouraging them to partner with India,” said Chandrasekhar.
