Indian Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, announced on Tuesday that the Central Government is prepared to assess separate proposals from Taiwan’s Foxconn and Indian conglomerate Vedanta for the establishment of semiconductor plants in the country. This development follows Foxconn’s recent exit from a joint venture with Vedanta, with the Taiwanese firm indicating intentions to apply individually for the creation of a semiconductor unit in India.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of ‘Semicon India 2023’, a six-day exhibition showcasing advanced semiconductor technologies, Chandrasekhar expressed optimism about the nation’s recent progress in the semiconductor sector. In his view, the advancements made over the past 15 months outstrip those from the previous seven decades.
“Gujarat is leapfrogging every other state in terms of building the semiconductor ecosystem,” he stated, pointing to the sizable investment by Micron, a US chipmaker, as a case in point. This rapid development aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, with Chandrasekhar emphasising that the Ministry had launched the first road show of future design in Gandhinagar, some eight months prior to ‘Semicon India 2023’.
Chandrasekhar praised the exhibition’s ability to educate and stimulate interest in the sector among students, youths, and tech professionals. He noted an encouraging uptick in enrolment for electronics engineering across the country, which bodes well for Gujarat, rapidly evolving into the epicentre of India’s semiconductor industry.
India’s semiconductor aspirations received a significant boost during PM Modi’s recent US visit when President Joe Biden announced the establishment of an advanced semiconductor assembly and testing facility by Micron Technology Inc. in India. This was soon followed by the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Gujarat government and Micron, valued at INR 22,500 crores ($3 billion), to set up the said facility at Sanand in Gujarat.
Semicon India 2023, inaugurated by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and set to be formally opened by PM Modi on July 28, will witness participation from leading industry players, including Foxconn, Micron, AMD, IBM, Marvell, Vedanta, and others.
