India celebrated the grand opening of its inaugural semiconductor assembly and testing facility on Saturday, marking a significant stride in the country’s endeavor to diminish reliance on foreign chip manufacturers and establish a prominent presence in an industry primarily led by China.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially launched the Semiconductor Assembly, Testing, and Packaging unit of the US-based Micron Technology in his native state of Gujarat, heralding the commencement of a promising era for India’s technological aspirations.
During the event, streamed on his official YouTube channel, Modi expressed his conviction that this decade would be recognized as a pivotal moment in India’s technological advancement by future generations.
The facility’s primary function will involve transforming cutting-edge semiconductor wafers sourced from Micron’s global network into finalized memory and storage products.
India’s semiconductor market has seen remarkable growth, expanding from $38 billion in 2023 to a projected range of $45–50 billion for 2024–25, with the government setting ambitious targets of up to $110 billion by 2030.
Currently, New Delhi is actively engaged in the development of ten chip projects valued at over $18 billion, including the establishment of two state-of-the-art 3-nanometer design facilities in Noida and Bengaluru.
Modi announced plans for the imminent commencement of production for at least three additional semiconductor projects, emphasizing India’s evolution from a software-centric reputation to a noteworthy presence in hardware development.
The prime minister underscored the facility’s inauguration as a testament to the deepening technological collaboration between India and the United States, highlighting India’s participation in the US-led Pax Silica alliance focused on artificial intelligence, critical minerals, and supply-chain security, areas where China wields substantial influence.
Modi emphasized the global imperative to secure these pivotal supply chains crucial for humanity’s future.
US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, lauded the inauguration as a significant milestone signifying “India’s integration into the global semiconductor supply chain as a manufacturing nation.”
Gor expressed optimism for the future, stating that this inauguration is just the initial step towards a promising trajectory for India in the semiconductor industry.