A significant milestone in India’s journey toward semiconductor self-reliance was marked with a tripartite foundation stone-laying ceremony held on Wednesday in Gujarat’s Dholera and Sanand cities, as well as Assam’s Morigaon district. The event was attended by several central and state officials, along with chip industry experts, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi participating via video link. Stressing India’s commitment to its chip-focused initiatives, PM Modi reiterated the country’s determination to deliver on its promises, citing programs like the India Semiconductor Mission and policies aimed at strengthening the sector’s ecosystem.
Highlighting the pivotal role of semiconductors in the 21st-century tech-driven landscape, PM Modi emphasized the significance of ‘Made in India’ and ‘Design in India’ chips taking the lead. Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, present at the Dholera ceremony, praised PM Modi’s visionary approach, crediting his leadership for enabling simultaneous foundation stone-laying ceremonies—a realization of an initiative that commenced back in 1962.
N Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Sons, underlined the importance of the semiconductor ecosystem, citing the global chip shortage, escalating cyber warfare threats, and the need for a robust domestic semiconductor industry for both domestic consumption and global export.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel lauded Dholera’s strategic advantages for industrial development, including its transportation facilities and potential to create over 50,000 jobs. Vaishnaw further elaborated on Dholera’s benefits, such as water availability, electricity infrastructure, and proximity to renewable energy projects, all conducive to semiconductor fabrication.
In addition to the Dholera fab established by Tata Electronics Private Limited (TEPL) and Taiwan’s Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp (PSMC), PM Modi also laid foundation stones for two other semiconductor plants in Sanand and Morigaon.
These three semiconductor plants are expected to significantly enhance India’s chip production capacity, with projections of 50,000 chips per day in Dholera, 48 million in Morigaon, and 15 million in Sanand.
PM Modi hailed the occasion as a historic step toward a brighter future, stressing its importance for India’s youth and the nation’s aspirations to become a reliable partner in the global semiconductor supply chain. He underscored the necessity of reliable chip manufacturing capabilities, particularly in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, expressing confidence in India’s potential to emerge as a global powerhouse in commercial chip production.
Union Minister Vaishnaw later confirmed production timelines, with Micron chips expected by December 2024 and Dholera’s inaugural chip slated for December 2026.
In summary, the foundation stone-laying ceremony signifies a significant stride toward India’s semiconductor self-reliance, underlining the nation’s commitment to fostering a robust semiconductor ecosystem and enhancing its global competitiveness.
