India has world-class talent, 'right momentum' for chip growth: Merck exec

German company signed agreement with Tata Electronics for semiconductor development earlier this month

India’s industries, “world-class education system” and talent pool give it an edge amid “global uncertainties”, said Hans-Joachim Neumann, a senior executive of Merck Electronics, a German science and technology company, in New Delhi.

 

“Now exactly is the right time for India,” said Neumann, executive vice-president and head of integrated supply chain at Merck, while delivering the keynote address at the Indian Foundation for Quality Management Symposium on Thursday. He spoke about ‘Integrating Quality and Innovation for Excellence in Manufacturing’.

 

"We have a strong foundation, big industries, world-class education, and talent. This is the foundation that is difficult for other countries to copy, which is great. We have the right momentum in times of global uncertainties."

 

“It’s time for collaboration, and we already have tangible investments. Two weeks ago, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tata Electronics at Semicon," he said, referring to a semiconductor conference held in New Delhi earlier this month.

 

Tata Electronics, an electronics and semiconductor manufacturer, and Merck signed an MoU on a strategic collaboration to jointly develop capabilities in semiconductor materials, semiconductor fabrication infrastructure, and specialty chemical and gas distribution in India.

 

According to a joint statement issued by the two companies, Merck will offer its full suite of products and services, including high-purity electronic materials, advanced gas and chemical delivery systems, turnkey fab infrastructure services, and its material intelligence solutions powered by artificial intelligence, for Tata Electronics’ upcoming fab in Dholera, Gujarat.

 

“As part of this partnership, Merck will also share best practices in safety and manufacturing excellence, and provide access to platforms such as Athinia, a secure data analytics platform, for collaboration on relevant information among participants across the semiconductor industry,” the statement said.

 

The partnership also encompasses plans for localised warehousing, raw material supply chain development, cultivation of talent, and the establishment of industry processes and standards in India.