New Delhi, August 12(HS): In a decisive move to accelerate India’s ascent in the global semiconductor value chain, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday cleared four new semiconductor manufacturing projects under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), with a combined investment commitment of ₹4,600 crore.

The approvals — spread across Odisha, Punjab, and Andhra Pradesh — are expected to create over 2,000 high‑skill direct jobs and thousands of indirect opportunities, while propelling India into the advanced realms of compound semiconductors and cutting-edge packaging technologies. Together with six previously sanctioned projects, the ISM now counts 10 approved proposals in six states, representing total pledged investments of ₹1.6 lakh crore.

Four Strategic Investments

1. Odisha:

SiCSem & 3D Glass Solutions Inc.

- SiCSem, in partnership with Clas‑SiC Wafer Fab Ltd., UK, will set up India’s first commercial Silicon Carbide (SiC) Compound Semiconductor fab in Bhubaneswar’s Info Valley.

- Capacity: 60,000 wafers and 96 million packaged units a year.

- Applications: Defence systems, electric vehicles, high‑speed rail, solar inverters, data centres, fast chargers, and consumer electronics.

- 3D Glass Solutions Inc. will establish a state‑of‑the‑art glass‑based advanced semiconductor packaging facility in the same zone.

- Capacity: 69,600 glass panel substrates, 50 million assembled units, and 13,200 3D Heterogeneous Integration (3DHI) modules annually.

- Applications: High‑performance computing, artificial intelligence, defence, RF and automotive systems, photonics, and co‑packaged optics.

2. Andhra Pradesh:

Advanced System in Package Technologies (ASIP)

- In collaboration with APACT Co. Ltd., South Korea, ASIP will build a semiconductor system‑in‑package plant with annual capacity of 96 million units.

- Applications: Mobile devices, set‑top boxes, automotive electronics, and consumer products.

3. Punjab:

Continental Device India Ltd. (CDIL)

- CDIL will expand its Mohali facility for discrete semiconductor manufacturing.

- Capacity: 158.38 million units annually.

- Products: MOSFETs, IGBTs, Schottky bypass diodes, and silicon/Silicon Carbide transistors.

- Applications: EV charging infrastructure, renewable energy, industrial automation, telecom, and power conversion.

Strategic Significance

The projects are being hailed as a turning point for India’s semiconductor manufacturing ambitions, introducing landmark capabilities such as the nation’s first commercial SiC fabrication plant and a globally advanced glass substrate packaging unit.

These manufacturing investments will complement India’s growing chip-design ecosystem, supported by government-backed infrastructure benefiting 278 academic institutions and 72 start-ups, and nurturing a new generation of semiconductor talent — over 60,000 students trained to date.

Driving Atmanirbhar Bharat in High-Tech

Industry watchers say the approvals position India not merely as a participant, but as an emerging leader in next-generation semiconductors — crucial for telecom, AI, defence, EV mobility, aerospace, photonics, and 5G/6G infrastructure.

As global demand for reliable chip supply surges, these strategic facilities, spread across multiple states, are poised to strengthen India’s role in high‑value manufacturing and advance its goal of becoming an electronics and semiconductor hub by 2047.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar