Micron, a leading US chipmaker, inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the New Age Makers Institute of Technology (NAMTECH) to foster talent for its forthcoming semiconductor operations in India. The company is set to kick off operations at its Indian plant in the first half of 2025, following the initiation of construction in September 2023. Micron has committed a total investment of $2.75 billion for the project, with $825 million from the company and the remaining support from both central and state governments.
In a move to catalyze the growth of the semiconductor industry, the Indian government is offering financial support to Micron's project. The central government will provide 50 percent fiscal support for the total project cost, with the state of Gujarat contributing incentives equivalent to 20 percent of the project cost.
Speaking at the Semiconductor and Electronics Seminar on the second day of the summit, Vaishnaw announced that Gujarat is on track to manufacture the country's first Make in India chip in 2024. He also encouraged IIT-Gandhinagar to establish a center of excellence for the research and development of semiconductors. Vaishnaw said that the next decade will require a million more talents in the industry, a need that India is well-positioned to fulfill.
“The establishment of manufacturing facilities combined with the design capability that already exists in India will help position India as one of the key players in the global semiconductor ecosystem. It is great to see Gujarat playing a pivotal role in helping India achieve both self-reliance and emerge as an ESDM powerhouse over the next decade,” he added.
Tata Group Chairman N. Chandrasekaran unveiled plans for a significant semiconductor fabrication unit in Dholera, Gujarat. While specific investment details were not disclosed, the operation is expected to commence later this year.
South Korea's Simmtech declared its intention to open a chip component plant in Gujarat, complementing Micron's semiconductor testing and packaging facility. However, the exact investment pledged by Simmtech is yet to be disclosed.
During the summit, cooperation agreements were forged between Micron and Nantech, as well as Cisco and Nantech, focusing on skilled manpower development. MoUs were signed between the Gujarat Government and Simmtech, further boosting ties between India and the global semiconductor industry.
Sanjay Mehrotra, the CEO of Micron, expressed his gratitude for the exceptional cooperation from both the state government and the Government of India. He said that India is on the verge of establishing a robust semiconductor supply chain shortly.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel remarked that with changing technology, the demand for memory chips is increasing, and Gujarat has taken a lead in the semiconductor sector and will soon become the global hub for the production of memory chips.
– By Ranu Jain
