India committed to building semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem: PM Modi

India is committed to building the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem under the Semicon India Programme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said.

Highlighting the country's push to facilitate a world class semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem, Prime Minister Modi said on Friday (July 28, 2023) that India was taking all the right steps to assist the sector, including by providing attractive tax incentives to new manufacturing facilities.

Speaking after inaugurating the 2nd Edition of SemiconIndia 2023 Conference with the theme ‘Catalysing India’s Semiconductor Ecosystem’ in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, he said India was laying the red carpet for the semiconductor industry. "Earlier the question was - why invest in India? Now the question is - why not invest in India!" he remarked. During his address, he emphasized the role of semiconductors in day-to-day lives

"We are seeing an exponential growth on India's digital and electronics manufacturing sectors," Prime Minister Modi pointed out, adding that India's share in the global electronics manufacturing sector had gone up manifold.

Prime Minister Modi's address highlighted India's growing significance in the semiconductor industry, positioning the country as a conductor of global opportunities. He proudly highlighted India's skillful workforce, technological capabilities, and substantial capacity in the semiconductor domain. He also announced the approval of the National Quantum Mission, showcasing India's commitment to cutting-edge technology and innovation.

Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw also delivered a speech at the conference. He highlighted the government's efforts to create a conducive environment for the semiconductor industry in India. He emphasized the need for collaboration between industry, academia, and government to build a vibrant semiconductor innovation and manufacturing ecosystem in India. He also talked about the government's initiatives such as the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme to boost domestic manufacturing of electronic components.

SemiconIndia 2023 witnessed participation of industry leaders from major global companies such as Micron Technology, Applied Materials, Foxconn, Cadence, and AMD, and the industry association, SEMI. The three-day conference included keynote addresses delivered by various global industry leaders. These addresses revolved around the overarching theme of the conference pertaining to the development of India’s semiconductor structure.

The conference organized various panel discussions to deliberate on various pertinent themes encompassing the semiconductor and display ecosystem. The panel discussions involved industry experts who talked about the dynamics of display manufacturing, the role of semiconductors in day-to-day lives, and how India is committed to building the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem under the Semicon India Programme.

The discussion on the dynamics of display manufacturing involved industry experts such as CEO of C-DOT Satish Gupta Chairman and Managing Director of Air India Rajiv Bansal, and Director of Marketing and Business Development at Applied Materials Saurabh Gaur. The exchanges encompassed the challenges and opportunities in the display manufacturing industry and how India can become a global hub for display manufacturing.

The previous SemiconIndia conference was held in Bengaluru from April 29 to May 1, 2022, with the aim to make India a global hub for Semiconductor Design, Manufacturing, and Technology Development.

Meanwhile, Micron Technology CEO Sanjay Mehrotra has expressed his gratitude towards PM Modi for the vision of establishing India as a global semiconductor hub. During their meeting in Gandhinagar, it was announced that a semiconductor assembly and test facility in Gujarat will be built by Micron, with an estimated creation of nearly 5000 direct job opportunities and an additional 15,000 jobs within the community. The investment is expected to serve as a catalyst for further investments in the sector. The transformative energy generated by Digital India and Make in India is believed to continue driving positive progress.