India's semiconductor revolution has begun in Assam: CM Sarma after PM Modi laid foundation stones for chip plants

GUWAHATI : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Wednesday that the semiconductor packaging plant in the state, whose foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will attract an investment of Rs 27,000 crore in the state. The Chief Minister thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for establishing a semiconductor plant in a northeastern state and said that India's semiconductor revolution has started in Assam.

"Assam being situated in the remotest part of this country, we never thought that we would be the pioneers of the semiconductor revolution. But because of the blessings and confidence that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has in the northeast, the semiconductor revolution has started in Assam,"Sarma told reporters here. "This will attract an investment of Rs 27,000 crore and ensure the employment of 30,000 young people in our state and neighbourhood.

I want to thank PM Narendra Modi for his bold initiative for the 'Ashta Lakshmi', he added. The Chief Minister also thanked Tata Sons and its MD. "I also record my deep appreciation for Tata Sons and its MD, N. Chandrasekaran for taking this daring step to break the geographical barrier. This is the beginning, this is not the end. I am sure that now Assam will see a new light, a new day as far as economic prosperity is concerned," Sarma said.

In yet another milestone in India's endeavour to ramp up its semiconductor ecosystem, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stones for three new chip plants--two in Gujarat and one in Assam. Tata Group is setting up two of these three plants. Tata Sons, Chairman, N Chandrasekaran said that 50,000 jobs will be created in the semiconductor plant in Assam. "There will be expansion. So as I said in my speech, at least we're looking at 50,000 jobs here.

But we will further expand as we cross the early milestones. We are also trying to see how we can use AI so that it becomes a very, very advanced fab here and also the assembly unit in Assam. So we have lots of work to do," Chandrasekaran said. PM Modi participated in the event 'India's Techade: Chips for Viksit Bharat' virtually for the three semiconductor facilities, with financial implications of about Rs 1.25 lakh crore.

Last month, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the establishment of three more semiconductor units under ' the Development of Semiconductors and Display Manufacturing Ecosystems in India.

All three units - two in Gujarat and one in Assam -- will start construction within the next 100 days. The semiconductor industry in India is still in a nascent stage, with various local and multinational companies intending to tap its vast potential. The Programme for Development of Semiconductors and Display Manufacturing Ecosystem in India was notified on December 21, 2021, with a total outlay of Rs. 76,000 crore.

The approved three semiconductor units for which foundation stones are laid today are: Tata Electronics Private Limited ("TEPL") will set up a semiconductor fab in partnership with Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp (PSMC), Taiwan, in Dholera, Gujarat. Investment in this fab will be Rs 91,000 crore. PSMC has 6 semiconductor foundries in Taiwan. The capacity of the Dholera unit will be 50,000 wafer starts per month