India's semiconductor ambitions take wing but water, talent issues remain

Semiconductor manufacturing requires extremely large volumes of pure and cold water, which only some states have; attracting the right talent also a challenge

It is not a coincidence that it was the government of India’s water resources minister, CR Paatil, who inaugurated Gujarat’s first semiconductor plant in Palsana, Surat this week. 

The plant of Suchi Semicon targets a production capacity of 3 lakh chips per day, built at an investment of Rs 840 crore. At all the semiconductor hubs being set up in India, the two critical shortages identified are skills among the potential labour force and that of water. Paatil, of course, represents the Navsaari constituency, next door to Surat. 

There are other issues, too, but none as critical as these for