Gautam Buddha Nagar (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 25 (HBTV): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the HCL-Foxconn joint venture project, India Chip Pvt Ltd, in the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) area via video conferencing, highlighting the need for India to become 'atmanirbhar' in chip production.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister emphasised that India must become self-reliant in semiconductor manufacturing, adding that a robust semiconductor ecosystem is being developed in the country. He noted that Uttar Pradesh is poised to emerge as a major centre for India's semiconductor sector.
The Prime Minister described the current decade as a 'tech-ade' for India. 'Whatever India is doing in the field of technology in this decade will become the basis of our strength in the 21st century. India may have started its journey in the semiconductor sector late, but today, we are progressing at a rapid pace. India has so far approved 10 semiconductor fabrication and packaging projects under its Semiconductor Mission. Four of these units are set to commence production very soon,' he said.
He also highlighted the growing global interest in India's semiconductor sector, citing collaborations with major companies such as Foxconn. 'Today, the arrival of major companies like Foxconn in India and their collaboration in chip manufacturing also sends a global message. A democratic country like India is a trusted partner for the world. Therefore, India's recognition as the world's factory is a win-win situation for both India and other countries,' he said.
The Prime Minister underlined the importance of semiconductors in the 21st century, noting that wherever such units are established, they drive the growth of design centres, startup ecosystems, and innovation. He also referred to the India AI Impact Summit, stating that India is making unprecedented investments in technologies that will shape the future.
The event was attended by Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Addressing the ceremony, Vaishnaw praised the Prime Minister's leadership in transforming India into a major electronics manufacturing hub over the past decade. 'In 11.5 years, the Prime Minister established the country as a powerhouse in electronics. Where electronics manufacturing in the country was negligible, today there is electronics manufacturing worth INR 12 lakh crore, and among the exports from India, electronics manufacturing has reached the third position,' he said.
'Semiconductors are a foundational technology. In a country with semiconductors, many types of manufacturing become possible. That work will now take place in Jewar,' he added.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also thanked the Prime Minister for establishing India as a hub for emerging technologies. He said that under the Prime Minister's guidance, Jewar is emerging as a key centre for both the state and the nation.
'We are grateful to the Prime Minister, who has established the country as a new hub for emerging technologies. For the past four days, the entire country and the world have gathered at the Bharat Mandapam AI Impact Summit. Through this summit, we express our gratitude for the vision it has provided for a brighter future for India and for making life easier and more accessible for humanity,' he said.
The establishment of the HCL-Foxconn semiconductor facility marks a significant milestone in India's push for technological self-reliance and reflects the vision of positioning the country as a global destination for advanced electronics manufacturing.
The outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) facility at YEIDA is being set up by India Chip Pvt Ltd under the modified scheme for semiconductor assembly, testing, marking, and packaging (ATMP), with a total investment of over INR 3,700 crore.
The project is aimed at strengthening domestic manufacturing capabilities, reducing import dependence, and building resilient global supply chains. It is expected to support key sectors such as mobile phones, tablets, laptops, automotive, and consumer electronics.
The initiative is also expected to boost India's semiconductor ecosystem by fostering innovation, skill development, and technology transfer, while creating thousands of direct and indirect employment opportunities and driving growth in ancillary industries. (ANI)