Micron's Gujarat Plant Begins Memory Chip Production, Boosting India's Semiconductor Ambitions

Speaking at the event in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the ATMP facility of Micron Semiconductor Technology India Private Limited, Vaishnaw said India has made a place in the semiconductor industry on the global map.

"Memory chips will be manufactured in this plant. The semiconductor industry is foundational and everything from cameras to mobiles needs memory chips... India has made a place in the semiconductor industry on the global map," he said.

Vaishnaw said India has a big ecosystem of semiconductor design, and it is increasing.

He said companies are designing the most advanced 2 NM chips in India and the chip designed in the country will be manufactured here.

In his remarks, PM Modi said the inauguration of Micron's semiconductor facility marks a milestone in India's journey towards technology leadership.

"The beginning of commercial production in this ATMP facility of Micron will strengthen India's role in the global value chain. India is rapidly becoming a part of the global semiconductor value chain," he said.

"This is the century of AI revolution. The semiconductor is a major bridge of this revolution... If oil was the regulator of the last century, the microchip will be the regulator of this century," he added.

He said the event also symbolises the strong collaboration and partnership between the USA and India.

"This is crucial, especially in the fields of AI and chips... The entire world is striving to secure the supply chains for these two technologies, and the world's two largest democracies are working towards this end. The Pax Silica initiative between the US and India during the AI Summit is another step in this direction. Our combined efforts will make the global supply chain of essential minerals more secure and reliable," he said.

"When the world was struggling with the Covid pandemic, India announced semiconductor project... During the pandemic, everything felt like it was falling apart. But the seeds we planted with conviction are now growing and bearing fruits," PM Modi added.

The inauguration of Sanad facility marks a significant milestone in India's semiconductor manufacturing journey, with the commencement of commercial production and shipment of the first made-in-India semiconductor memory modules from the Sanand ATMP facility, an official release said.

This development represents a major step forward in strengthening India's position in the global semiconductor value chain, it added.The project, which had its ground-breaking ceremony in September 2023, was the first proposal approved under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM). With a total outlay of more than Rs 22,500 crore, construction commenced soon after approval, reflecting the Government's commitment to fast-tracking strategic semiconductor investments in the country.

The Sanand facility, once fully ramped up, will feature approximately 500,000 square feet of cleanroom space, making it one of the world's largest raised-floor cleanrooms. The facility is designed to serve customers worldwide and address the growing global demand for memory and storage solutions, driven by rapid advancements in Artificial Intelligence and high-performance computing.

The Sanand ATMP facility will convert advanced Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) and NAND semiconductor wafers from Micron's global manufacturing network into finished memory and storage products, catering to customers across global markets.The establishment and operationalisation of this facility underscores India's emergence as a trusted and competitive destination for semiconductor manufacturing and aligns with the Prime Minister's vision of building a resilient and self-reliant technology ecosystem in the country, the release said.

- ANI