Tata Group, Assam govt to build Rs 25,000cr semiconductor packaging plant: MoS IT

Assam will soon have its first-ever semiconductor packaging plant worth nearly Rs 25,000 crore built jointly by the state government and Tata Group, Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said on Thursday.

Addressing the first-ever ‘Digital India Future Skills Summit’ in Guwahati, the minister said that youth from the state will now have jobs in the semiconductor industry at their doorstep.

“It is because of the leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma that a semiconductor packaging plant will be established in partnership with the Assam government and Tata Group,” said Chandrasekhar.

“We will soon obtain all approvals and submit it to the cabinet for final approval. Young Indians aspiring to enter the world of semiconductors won’t have to leave their state or travel to other cities anymore,” he added.

The minister emphasised how India’s economy has undergone significant progress over the past decade, from being ‘Fragile 5’ to now ranked as the world’s ‘Top 5’ economy.

The significant milestone under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unleashed many opportunities for young Indians, particularly in emerging technology sectors where the country is on the same starting line as the rest of the world.

“Through Future Skills, we want to convey to young Indians that in the coming years, due to the policies of PM Modi, numerous opportunities will open up for them. Students need to empower and equip themselves with skills in areas such as AI, cybersecurity and semiconductors,” he emphasised.

The world’s biggest companies in these fields, including Nvidia, Intel, AMD, HCL, Wipro, and IBM, are present in Guwahati.

“The objective of this summit is to motivate young Indians to fully immerse themselves in the world of skills,” the minister added.

PM Modi has created a three-pronged strategy to shape the future of tech — ‘futureDESIGN’ for design innovation, ‘futureLABS’ for innovation around systems, and ‘futureSKILLS’ for preparing young Indians with capabilities in emerging sectors.

The summit facilitated more than 30 strategic collaborations between National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) and leading industry players and academia such as Intel, HCL, Wipro, Microsoft, Kyndryl, IIM Raipur and IIITM Gwalior, among others.