In a historic move, India has embarked on its quest to establish itself as a global semiconductor hub. US-based Micron Technology recently laid the foundation for its massive Rs 22,500 crore (USD 2.75 billion) chip assembly and test facility in Sanand, Gujarat, as it had promised earlier.
This move comes just three months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Sanjay Mehrotra, the President and CEO of Micron Technology.
Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw marked this as a milestone towards PM Narendra Modi’s commitment to developing a semiconductor ecosystem in India.
The facility, known as the Assembly, Test, Marking, and Packaging (ATMP) unit, will occupy 93 acres in the Sanand GIDC-II industrial estate and is expected to be operational within 18 months.
Micron has pledged up to USD 825 million (Rs. 661.2 crores approx.) for this semiconductor assembly and test facility, with substantial government support. Tata Projects confirmed that it has bagged the contract to build the plant.
This colossal project is set to generate approximately 5,000 direct job opportunities and create an additional 15,000 community job prospects over the next five years.
Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar declared this initiative a historic moment, marking India’s ascent in the semiconductor industry. He said to IANS that:
We have made tremendous strides in the last 9-10 years. It is certainly a very important milestone and I have absolutely no doubt that this Micron’s state-of-the-art plant will be a beacon to all investors, other manufacturers and participants in the global semiconductor ecosystem.