India should aim at developing 10 fabs in 10 years: Semi's Manocha

According to industry estimates, the Indian semiconductor market is projected to exceed $100 billion and generate over 6 lakh jobs by 2030

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The Indian semiconductor industry should aim at developing at least 10 fabs in the coming decade to become a global powerhouse in this sector, said Ajit Manocha, president and CEO, Semi -- the global semiconductor and electronics body. 

“After some calculations, I can say that we would probably need another 10 fabs in the next 10 years, if we want to make India a powerhouse in this industry. There's no ceiling on this number, and the limit is sky high,” Manocha said at the curtain raiser press conference of Semicon India on Wednesday.

Manocha said the rise in the number of Outsourced Assembly and Test (OSAT) and Assembly, Testing, Marking, and Packaging (ATMP) units in India, was a step in the right direction. 

He stressed that the success of Tatas, Micron and other projects announced in India’s semiconductor space was the key in generating interest from the global chip industry.  

"We must ensure the success of Tata, Micron, and the other recent announcements. When I say 'we,' I mean everyone in the country. Success breeds success, and by making these initiatives thrive, we will attract more big companies. We need to leave no stone unturned in achieving this,” he said.

Semicon India, 2024, to be organised by Semi and Messe Muenchen India, in partnership with Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), India Semiconductor Mission and Digital India, from September 11 to 13, in Delhi-NCR region, will be hosting global semiconductor industry’ experts and leading industry players.

Apart from the government's representatives, the event is expected to see participation from key global players in the space including Applied Materials, Cadence, CG Power, KLA, Lam Research, Micron, NXP, Renesas, TATA Electronics, and Tokyo Electron, among others. 

According to industry estimates, the Indian semiconductor market, projected to exceed $100 billion and generate over 6 lakh jobs by 2030.

The global market for semiconductors at the same time is projected to touch $1 trillion by 2030, according to a report by McKinsey & Company.

For promoting the ecosystem, Manocha said a dedicated incentive scheme for the industry would be beneficial.

He added that the availability of raw talent in India can help fulfill India and the global semiconductor ambitions. 

“There’s a shortage of talent, and India brings a lot of raw talent. Companies can engage with raw talent and train them for India and for other countries as well, which will create a lot of opportunities for these firms to come to India," Manocha added.