'India to roll out indigenous semiconductor chips by December 2024'

GUJARAT: Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, on Saturday said the “Bhoomi Pujan” (groundbreaking ceremony) for the country’s first semiconductor plant has taken place in Gujarat.

The ground-breaking for the country’s first semi-conductor plant marks a pivotal moment in carrying forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for a self-reliant India.

Vaishnaw expressed confidence that the construction of the semiconductor plant would be completed soon, adding that the first indigenous microchips are expected to be rolled out by December 2024.

“Today ‘Bhoomi Pujan’ of the first semiconductor plant was conducted. This is an important step in carrying forward the PM’s vision (of Atmanirbhar Bharat). The construction of the plant will be completed soon and the first indigenous microchips will roll out from here by December 2024,” Vaishnaw said.

Underlining the strides marked by the country’s electronic industry under the leadership of PM Modi, Vaishnaw said, “In 2014, the manufacturing cost of mobile phones in India was Rs 17,000 crores. This has now soared to Rs 3,65,000 crores. The electronics industry, once valued at Rs 1,90,000 crores, has expanded to be worth Rs 8,30,000 crores.”

“Exports have increased fivefold, rising from Rs 40,000 crores to Rs 2,00,000 crores,” the Union Minister added.

All these advancements are attributed to semiconductor chips, Vaishnaw said, adding that the country was poised to become a major semiconductor hub.

This semiconductor mission, launched in December 2021, aims to position India as a significant player in semiconductor technology.

In line with this vision, on June 22, global semiconductor giant Micron announced plans to invest USD 825 million in building a new assembly and test facility in Gujarat.

The facility, set to meet both domestic and international demand, is strategically located in the Sanand Industrial Park, Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC), benefiting from Gujarat’s robust manufacturing infrastructure, favourable business environment, and skilled talent pool.

This move reinforces India’s commitment to self-reliance and its growing stature in the global semiconductor landscape, aligning with Prime Minister Modi’s vision for a technologically advanced and self-sufficient India.