Altera eyes higher sales from defence

US-based Altera Corporation, which provides programmable logic technology with software tools and embedded systems to various industries, is betting big on India for growth with telecommunications and defence sector opening up in the country.

Altera's platforms can be found in a variety of consumer and industrial applications such as mobile phones, manufacturing automation, medical systems and communications systems. At present, the Asia-Pacific region generates 25 per cent of the revenue for the $1.3 billion company.

"The Asia-Pacific region's contribution has grown from 12 per cent in the last eight years to 25 per cent. We are optimistic of our performance in India since key sectors are opening up," Altera Semiconductor India Product Marketing Manager Razak Mohammadali said.

The company supplies its products to local companies, global corporations and the defence sector in India.

"Our platforms help system providers integrate multiple chips for digital signal processing and embedded solutions. In the defence sector, the products go into radars and hi-tech communication equipment," he pointed out.

Altera also caters to the chip design services companies in India. "A number of Indian and global companies are setting up centres. They are also bagging global contracts. This is an encouraging sign for us," Mohammadali pointed out.

The company also provides electronic design automation tools and field programmable gate arrays (semiconductor device).

On Tuesday, the company announced the new programmable logic solution designed to address the power and package constraints of the portable applications market.

"Designers of portable applications such as smart phones and portable media players need to differentiate their products without increasing power or form factor. Our new product offers the best combination of power, small package and low cost," Mohammadali said.