PM lays foundation stone for 3 semiconductor facilities worth about Rs 1.25 lakh crores

NEW DELHI : The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed ‘India’s Techade: Chips for Viksit Bharat’ program and laid the foundation stone for three semiconductor projects worth about Rs 1.25 lakh crores via video conferencing on Wednesday. The facilities inaugurated were – Semiconductor fabrication facility at the Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR), Gujarat, Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facility at Morigaon, Assam and the Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facility at Sanand, Gujarat.

Addressing the occasion, the Prime Minister said that the historic occasion is a significant step towards a bright future for India as foundation stones are laid for three major Semiconductor manufacturing projects worth about Rs 1.25 lakh crores in Dholera and Sanand in Gujarat and Moregaon in Assam. “These projects will play a key role in making India a semiconductor hub”, PM Modi said, as he congratulated the citizens for the key initiatives. He noted the virtual presence of semiconductor industry players from Taiwan and expressed excitement for this occasion.

The Prime Minister noted that more than 60,000 colleges, universities and educational institutes were connected with this unique event. The Prime Minister termed this program as the event of the dreams of the youth of the nation as they are the real stakeholders of the future of India. The youth is witnessing how India is working in a multi-pronged fashion for self-reliance and a strong presence in the global supply chain. “A self-confident youth changes the destiny of the nation”, PM Modi added. 

Noting the centrality of electronic chips in the technology-driven 21st century, the Prime Minister said that Made in India and Designed in India chips will play a major role in taking India towards self-reliance and modernization. The Prime Minister said that after missing out on the first three industrial revolutions due to various reasons, India now is moving with an intention to lead Industry 4.0, the fourth industrial revolution. Stressing the need to utilize every second, the Prime Minister presented this event as an example of the speed with which the government is working. Explaining the sequence of the strides made in the semiconductor field, the Prime Minister talked about the announcement of the semiconductor mission two years ago and within a few months first MoUs were signed and now the foundation stones for three projects are being laid. “India commits, India delivers and democracy delivers”, said the Prime Minister. 

The Prime Minister underlined that only a handful of nations in the world are manufacturing semiconductors today and emphasized the need for a reliable supply chain after the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. He stated that India is keen to play a crucial role in this and highlighted the country’s tech space, nuclear and digital power. Elaborating on the future plans where India is primed to take on commercial production for the semiconductor sector, the Prime Minister said, “The day is not far when India will become a global power in the manufacture of products for the semiconductor sector.” He emphasized that India will gain a strategic advantage in the future for policy decisions taken as he mentioned encouraging Ease of Doing Business and simplification of laws. In the last few years, the Prime Minister informed that more than 40,000 compliances have been abolished and rules for FDI have also been simplified. FDI policies in defence, insurance and telecom sectors have been liberalized. The Prime Minister also touched upon India’s growing position in electronics and hardware manufacturing where PLI schemes have been provided for large-scale electronic and IT hardware manufacturing and electronic clusters created, thereby giving a platform for the growth of the electronic ecosystem. The Prime Minister informed that India is the second largest mobile manufacturer in the world today. Highlighting the initiation of India’s Quantum Mission, the establishment of the National Research Foundation to encourage innovation and the expansion of India’s AI Mission, the Prime Minister said that India is moving in the direction of technology advancement apart from technology adoption. 

The Prime Minister said that semiconductor research will benefit the youth the most. Touching upon the expanse of semiconductors over a vast range of industries, the Prime Minister said,  “Semiconductor is not just an industry but it opens a door filled with boundless potential.” PM Modi also pointed out the huge presence of Indian talent in global chip design and manufacturing. Therefore, the Prime Minister said, the talent ecosystem of India is completed as the nation moves forward today in the semiconductor manufacturing sector. He stated that the youth of today are well aware of the opportunities being created for them, be it space or mapping sector and mentioned opening up these sectors for the youth. He credited the unprecedented incentives and encouragement for India becoming the third largest startup ecosystem in the world and said that this occasion would create new opportunities for startups in the semiconductor space. He expressed confidence that the projects would provide numerous advanced technology jobs for the youth.

Recalling his acclamation from the Red Fort – Yahi Samay hai Sahi Samay hai, the Prime Minister said that policies and decisions taken with this belief produce significant results. “India has now moved far ahead of the old thinking and old approach. India is now taking decisions and making policies at a faster pace”, Prime Minister Modi said. He pointed out that India’s semiconductor dreams were first envisioned during the 1960s but the then governments failed to act upon them due to a lack of will and the effort to convert the resolutions into accomplishments. He also lamented the inability of the previous governments to understand the country’s potential, priorities and futuristic needs. Throwing light on the forward-thinking and futuristic approach of the present government, the Prime Minister mentioned semiconductor manufacturing with ambitions to compete with developed countries. He stated that the government has taken care of all the priorities of the country as he gave examples of investments in pucca houses for the poor as well as encouraging research, running the world’s largest sanitation movement to moving forward in semiconductor manufacturing, and rapid reduction in poverty to massive infrastructural investments with the aim of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. “In 2024 alone, foundation stones have been laid and schemes have been inaugurated worth more than Rs 12 lakh crores”, the Prime Minister said, as he mentioned the Bharat Shakti exercise in Pokhran that provided a glimpse of 21st century India’s self-reliant defence sector, India joining the exclusive club of the world in the form of Agni-5, initiation of drone revolution in agriculture 2 days ago where thousands of drones were handed over to women under the Namo Drone Didi scheme, India’s preparations for Gaganyaan gaining momentum, and the recently inaugurated India’s first Made in India fast breeder nuclear reactor. “All these efforts, all these projects, are taking India closer to the goal of development. And certainly, these three projects will also have a big role in this”, PM Modi added. 

The Prime Minister also highlighted the emergence of AI in the world of today and gave the example of his addresses being translated into multiple languages in a short time. He lauded the youth of India for taking the initiative of spreading the Prime Minister’s message across the country in various Indian languages. “Youth of India are capable and they need an opportunity. The Semiconductor initiative has brought that opportunity to India today”, the Prime Minister said. He lauded the developments taking place in the Northeast as the foundation stone for one of the three semiconductor facilities is being laid in Assam today. Concluding the address, the Prime Minister exhorted everyone to strengthen India’s progress and said, “Modi’s guarantee is for you and your future.”

Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Chief Minister of Assam, Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendra Patel, Chairman of CG Power & Industrial Solutions Ltd., Shri Shri Vellayan Subbiah and Chairman of Tata Sons, Shri Natarajan Chandrasekaran were present on the occasion among others.