Indian-made chips must for self-reliance: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the foundation of a developed India will be laid based on self-reliance, for which having chips made in India is very important. “Developed India will be built only when India is self-reliant. For this, the Made in India chip is very important. Whatever India is doing in the field of technology in this decade, it will become the foundation of our capability in the 21st century,” Modi said in a virtual address to lay the foundation stone of India Chip Pvt Ltd — the HCL Group and Foxconn JV.
Modi shared that a weak supply chain of tiny chips during the Covid-19 pandemic halted development of several economies and stopped work at various factories. The India Chip Pvt Ltd — the HCL Group and Foxconn joint venture for an Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly & Test (OSAT) facility — will come up in the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) at Jewar, Greater Noida.
India Chip Pvt Ltd is a 60:40 joint venture between HCL Group and Foxconn. The advanced OSAT facility is expected to be operational by 2028. The company has earmarked an investment of `3,700 crore over the next few years in the facility that will produce display driver chips.
The investment is expected to create over 3,500 direct and indirect jobs, build local supply chains, and attract ecosystem partners across the semiconductor value chain. Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister emphasised that India is working towards the aim of Viksit Bharat rapidly.
“I have said from the ramparts of the Red Fort, India has no time to stop or pause. Since the beginning of 2026, India has accelerated its pace,” the Prime Minister remarked.
Modi cited the recent milestones such as the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue, National Startup Day, which energised the start-up revolution in India, and the India Energy Summit, through which India’s strength caught the attention of the world.
Prime Minister noted that the Budget for Viksit Bharat has injected fresh momentum into the nation’s progress, making this a truly historic week for India. He highlighted that at the Global AI Impact Summit, world leaders, heads of state, and tech giants gathered to witness India’s AI capabilities, ultimately recognising and praising the country’s strategic vision.
He remarked that immediately following the conclusion of the AI summit yesterday, the nation is already moving forward today with this massive programme to strengthen India’s semiconductor ecosystem. “India is now striving to stand alongside the world's top nations in providing the processing power required to run the modern world and is working simultaneously on software and hardware aspects”, Modi emphasised.
The Prime Minister reiterated his vision of the current decade as India's Techade, stating that investments in Green Energy, Space Tech, Digital Technology, and AI will form the foundation of 21st-century capability.
As a Member of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh, the Prime Minister expressed immense pride in the State’s transformation. “UP is becoming a major centre for the semiconductor ecosystem, which will bring design houses, R&D centres, and startup ecosystems to the region, creating vast employment opportunities for the youth”, Modi noted.
Concluding his address, the Prime Minister thanked HCL Technologies Chairperson Roshni Nadar and Foxconn Semiconductor Business Group President Bob Chen for their partnership. He noted that Foxconn’s presence sends a global message: “A democratic India is a trusted partner. Our participation in the value chain increases its resilience, a win-win for India and the world.”
With a planned capacity to process 20,000 wafers per month, the facility aims to meet India's growing domestic demand for semiconductor components while strengthening a resilient, self-reliant semiconductor supply chain.
“In the last 11 years, the Prime Minister has established India as a powerhouse of electronics manufacturing. India is now ranked third among nations that export electronics. In a month, 3.6 crore chips will be produced from this plant. The brain of the digital screens that you see will now be made in Jewar,” Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said.
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said Jewar is emerging as a jewel not only for UP but also for the country. The development of UP will depend on the Prime Minister's vision for chips, he said.
“Today we are ground breaking for India chip. We want to establish a reliable semiconductor assembly and testing facility in India. We look forward to growing together and contributing to India’s growth in the global technology landscape,” Bob Chen, President, Semiconductor Business Group, Foxconn, said. HCL Group Chairperson Roshini Nadar said the joint venture facility will cater to the requirements of both domestic and international markets.
