The Hindu Business Line : Intel very keen on India, says Maran

BIG PLANS FOR INDIA: Mr Craig R. Barrett, Intel Chairman, and Mr Dayanidhi Maran, Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology, in Chennai on Sunday. — Bijoy Ghosh

Chennai , Dec. 4

THE Chairman of Intel Corporation, Mr Craig Barrett, met the Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Mr Dayanidhi Maran, at the latter's residence in Chennai on Sunday. The meeting lasted about 45 minutes.

While Mr Barrett refused to speak to the press, Mr Maran later said that Intel would announce its plans (possibly) on Monday.

"Mr Barrett is very serious about India," Mr Maran said, adding that it was up to Intel to disclose its plans.

Asked if the Government of India had decided on Intel's earlier demand to co-invest in a chip assembly and testing project, Mr Maran said talks on the subject were still on. "That part is not over," he said.

(While the Minister refused to say anything more on the subject, informed sources said that the Government might not be keen on investing in any chip assembly project. There are a few Indian companies that do such jobs — such as Chennai-based SPIC Semiconductors Ltd. If the Government invests in Intel's project, it will have to also invest in other projects to avoid being seen as favouring overseas investors.)

Asked about Intel's inputs in developing a low-cost personal computer — the Government's desire is to make PCs for less than Rs 10,000 — Mr Maran said

Mr Barrett had created a team to look into the matter. The Minister said Intel would develop a new chip, but immediately retracted his statement, saying that he did not mean a "new" chip, but a chip for a low-cost PC.

Later, when recorders and cameras were switched off and the conversation became more informal, Mr Maran said his visit to San Francisco in July proved to be successful.

He said Flextronics and SemIndia had announced projects in India. "Only Intel looked like slipping out of hand, but it is now coming back," he said.

SemIndia, a recently-created consortium of overseas Indians, has announced that it would invest $3 billion in India to set up a chip plant, for which Advanced Micro Devices will provide technology.

Observing that SemIndia is yet to make up its mind about the location of the `fab city', where the chips will be produced,

Mr Maran said it was up to the State Chief Ministers to woo the project into their States. "Rs 14,000 crore is not a small amount," said Mr Maran.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page