India’s Semiconductor Manufacturing Policy

Applied Materials was recently featured in an article for The Hindu Business Line regarding semiconductor manufacturing in India. Below are short excerpts from the article including quotes from Dr. Randhir Thakur, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Silicon Systems Group who was interviewed for the feature.

“India is very engaged in chip design and R&D. The part in the supply chain that is not done here is manufacturing. If India, with its policies and alignments, decides to put a (chip manufacturing) plant in place, Applied Materials will be one of the first companies that would be enabling that capability.”

“We enable capabilities wherever our customers go. Chip manufacturing started in the US … but as it moved to, say, Japan and Europe, we moved with it. Now, we have full-fledged manufacturing running in those countries. Similarly, when the factories went to Taiwan, we set up a very large infrastructure there.”

“If semiconductor companies take the plunge in India and look at manufacturing here, Applied Materials would be keen to set up its own units in India in order to support and enable its customers.”

The play book exists on how to go forward and do it. It just takes conviction and commitment to do it and see it through.”

India's semiconductor policy must be revised and made broad-based.

The Indian semiconductor market was $5.39 billion in 2009 and is estimated to reach $8.04 billion in 2011.

To read the full article access The Hindu Business Line web site.