India set to become prominent semiconductor manufacturing hub: PM Modi

India is set to become a prominent semiconductor manufacturing hub and chip manufacturing will take India towards self-reliance and modernity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony of three semiconductor projects worth around Rs.1.25 lakh crore at ‘India’s Techade: Chips for Viksit Bharat’ programme, he said chip manufacturing will open the door to “limitless possibilities”.

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The three projects include semiconductor fabrication facility at the Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR), Gujarat, Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facility at Morigaon, Assam and the Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facility at Sanand, Gujarat.

“Made in India and Designed in India chips will play a major role in taking India towards self-reliance and modernisation...After missing out on the first three industrial revolutions due to various reasons, India now is moving with an intention to lead Industry 4.0, the fourth industrial revolution,” Modi said via video conferencing.

The Prime Minister underlined that only a handful of nations in the world are manufacturing semiconductors today and emphasised the need for a reliable supply chain after the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

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He noted that India is keen to play a crucial role in this and highlighted the country’s tech space, nuclear and digital power. Elaborating on the future plans where India is primed to take on commercial production for the semiconductor sector, he said, “The day is not far when India will become a global power in the manufacture of products for the semiconductor sector.”

He emphasized that India will gain a strategic advantage in the future for policy decisions taken today and added that ‘ease of doing business’ and simplification of laws have helped the country being several investors from outside the country.

“In the last few years, more than 40,000 compliances have been abolished and rules for FDI have also been simplified. FDI policies in Defence, Insurance and Telecom sectors have been liberalised,” he said adding that India’s growing position in electronics and hardware manufacturing where PLI schemes have been provided for large-scale electronic and IT hardware manufacturing and electronic clusters have created a platform for the growth of the electronic ecosystem.

Informing that India is now the second largest mobile manufacturer in the world, Modi also highlighted the initiation of India’s Quantum Mission, the establishment of the National Research Foundation to encourage innovation and the expansion of India’s AI Mission. He added that India is moving in the direction of technology advancement apart from technology adoption.

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