Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the 'India's Techade: Chips for Viksit Bharat' event on March 13, laid the foundation stone for three semiconductor projects in Gujarat and Assam, collectively valued at approximately Rs 1.25 lakh crore. PM Modi laid the foundation stones virtually and addressed the crowd via video conferencing. The audience was marked by students from over 60,000 colleges, universities, and education institutes, claimed the Prime Minister. PM Modi also said that "leaders from Taiwan" joined in virtually.
The Prime Minister's vision aims to position India as a leading hub for semiconductor design, manufacturing, and technological innovation, with a focus on creating vast employment opportunities for the nation's youth.
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'Real Stakeholders Are The Youth'
"Today's event is an event of the dreams of the youth. The real stakeholders of the future of India are the youth," the Prime Minister said during his address. "Today the youth are seeing how India is working all-round for progress, for self-reliance and its presence in the global supply chain."
PM Modi lauded the technological feats this country's youth has achieved, including the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to translate his speeches in real-time into multiple Indian languages and share it with thousands of listeners across the country almost seamlessly.
"Due to various reasons, India was left behind during the first and the second industrial revolutions. However, India is pioneering Industry 4.0 with confidence," the Prime Minister noted.
The event was also attended by several other dignitaries from the country, including Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who said that the chips made in Assam's Morigaon plant will be used in EVs. "Electric chips will be used in all the electric vehicles made in America, Europe, Japan, and India," Vaishnaw said.
Where Are The Semiconductor Facilities Being Set Up
The first of these projects is a Semiconductor fabrication facility, which is set to be established at the Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR) in Gujarat. Representing an investment exceeding Rs 91,000 crore, this facility marks India's maiden commercial semiconductor fab.
Additionally, Tata Electronics Private Limited (TEPL) is slated to construct the Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facility in Morigaon, Assam, with an investment of approximately Rs 27,000 crore. Meanwhile, CG Power and Industrial Solutions Limited will establish another OSAT facility in Sanand, Gujarat, with a total investment of about Rs 7,500 crore.
These ventures are poised to strengthen India's semiconductor ecosystem, laying the groundwork for sustainable growth in the sector. Moreover, they are expected to create a plethora of employment opportunities for the nation's youth, not only within the semiconductor industry but also in related sectors such as electronics and telecommunications.