Read more hereEven as the government's announcement on Intel's chip testing unit in India is yet to take-off, SemIndia, a consortium of overseas Indians, on Wednesday announced plans to invest $3 billion in an advanced semiconductor manufacturing facility in the country with technology from America's Advanced Micro Devices Inc.
The project, which is a public-private partnership, is expected to take-off next year and will lead to a world-class industry in India to meet domestic and global demands of semiconductor chips for cell phones, PCs, set-top boxes among others, Vinod Agarwal, CEO of SemIndia said here.
The Union government (the IT ministry) as well as the state government (where the plant will be located) can be equity partners in the project.
Read more hereSemIndia, a consortium of overseas Indians, sees Indian demand for semiconductor chips at $30 billion each year by 2015, its Chief Executive Officer Vinod Agarwal said.
"We plan to create customised products for the Indian markets," he said. "The idea is to bring down the (chips) price so that everyone in India can use computing."
The plant will be funded through a mix of options, including venture capital, debt financing and government incentives, he said.
Work on the plant will begin sometime next year and the plant will be operational in two to three years' time, Agarwal said. The plant, whose location is yet to be determined, will make chips with a circuitry width of 65 and 90 nanometres.
AMD press release below:
AMD, IT Ministry, SemIndia Announce Historic Milestone For Semiconductor Manufacturing In India
New Delhi -- November 30, 2005 --AMD (NYSE:AMD) today announced a broad agreement with SemIndia covering manufacturing, technology licensing, and business development to meet the growing demand for computers based on x86 microprocessors in India. SemIndia is working with the Government of India, towards a public-private partnership (PPP) initiative designed to bring semiconductor manufacturing capabilities to India. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by Dr. Hector Ruiz, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of AMD, and Dr. Vinod K. Agarwal, chairman of the board, SemIndia, in the presence of Thiru. Dayanidhi Maran, the Honourable Minister for Communication and Information Technology.
India represents a major market opportunity for desktop and laptop PCs and internet appliances. Industry observers expect the market to experience strong growth in the near future given the impetus provided by the Government of India to increase PC penetration and internet connectivity. The agreement signed today allows SemIndia to license AMD’s proven process technology for SemIndia’s planned wafer fabrication and assembly-test-mark-pack (ATMP) operations. AMD and SemIndia will also jointly develop and market semiconductor solutions for India.
“We will remember this day as a historic milestone in India’s economic and manufacturing progressâ€, Ruiz said. “AMD is committed to succeeding in global high-growth markets, and we are proud that AMD’s industry-leading microprocessors and manufacturing capabilities will enable SemIndia to develop its own innovative solutions and expand the global market for information technology.â€
“This announcement reflects the confidence that global players have in India as a major information technology market and a location for high-tech manufacturingâ€, said Thiru. Dayanidhi Maran, Honourable Minister for Communications and Information Technology. “AMD is acknowledged as a technology leader in the industry, and is the ideal partner for India’s foray into semiconductor manufacturing. We are excited to see the commitment demonstrated by AMD and SemIndia, and the Government of India is backing this initiative solidly.â€
“With support from the Government of India and AMD’s proven process technology, SemIndia is creating a strong foundation to bring world-class wafer fabrication and ATMP capabilities to Indiaâ€, said Dr. Agarwal. “Our vision is to make India a global hub for semiconductor manufacturing, and this agreement should bring world-class wafer fabrication to India for the first time.â€
Earlier this year, Thiru. Dayanidhi Maran met with Dr. Ruiz in the US to discuss opportunities to jointly grow the India market. The Honourable Minister has championed the cause for increasing PC penetration, internet connectivity, and high-tech manufacturing in India. In fact, a recent Gartner report on ‘Semiconductor Manufacturing Opportunities in India’, predicts that semiconductor companies will be attracted to India by the large potential domestic market for electronic products. The report further states that “rising consumer spending is benefiting the consumer electronics and automobile industries, which provides new opportunities for semiconductor vendors as mature markets in other regions begin to reach saturation.â€
Speaking at the signing of the MOU, Mr. Ajay Marathe, President, AMD India, said, “This is undoubtedly the next big wave in India’s progress, and AMD is committed to bringing our process technology expertise to the SemIndia initiative. We are honoured that AMD will help advance the vision of the Honourable Minister of IT with SemIndia, and are working closely with the Indian Government to enable an exponential increase in PC and internet penetration.â€
ABOUT AMD
AMD (NYSE:AMD) designs and produces innovative microprocessors, Flash memory devices and low-power processor solutions for the computer, communications and consumer electronics industries. AMD is dedicated to helping its customers deliver standards-based, customer-focused solutions for technology users, ranging from enterprises and governments to individual consumers. For more information, visit www.amd.com.
About SemIndia:
SemIndia, Inc. plans to manufacture advanced semiconductor chips for Personal Computers, Cell Phones, Set-Top Boxes, and Broadband Connectivity. SemIndia is operating on a unique business model that compliments the explosive growth of Indian markets with commitments for fab capacity.
AMD and the AMD Arrow logo, and combinations thereof, and Geode are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Other names used are for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.
