Gujarat Emerging As India's Leading Semiconductor Hub: CM Patel At SemiConnect-2025

Gandhinagar, Mar 6 (KNN) Gujarat has established itself as the preferred location for semiconductor companies following a series of strategic initiatives implemented over recent years, according to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. 

Speaking at the inauguration of the three-day SemiConnect 2025 conference in Gandhinagar on Wednesday, Patel characterised Gujarat as "the land of opportunities, a centre of unlimited possibilities and a gateway to the future."

Chief Minister Patel highlighted the state's alignment with national manufacturing goals, stating, "We are moving in a direction in which Gujarat remains at the forefront of 'Make in India, make for the world' and 'Local to global' value chains." 

He noted that Gujarat has established the Gujarat State Electronics Mission to develop advanced facilities for electronics and semiconductor manufacturing, paralleling similar initiatives at the national level. 

The Chief Minister emphasised that Gujarat became the first state in India to implement a dedicated semiconductor policy in 2022, a move that has contributed significantly to the state's appeal to semiconductor manufacturers.

The Chief Minister underscored the tangible results of these policy decisions, revealing that four of the five semiconductor manufacturing units currently under construction in India are located in Gujarat. 

These companies have specifically selected Dholera, which Patel described as "the first Greenfield Smart City of India," offering plug-and-play capabilities and numerous other advantages. 

The conference itself witnessed the signing of multiple Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for new units in Dholera, with the Chief Minister pledging comprehensive support to these incoming enterprises.

The SemiConnect 2025 conference, inaugurated by Chief Minister Patel at Mahatma Mandir, attracted international participation, including the ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to India, Nepal, and Bhutan, alongside representatives fr0m companies and delegates fr0m the United States, the Netherlands, Japan, Singapore, Korea, and Taiwan.

Sushil Pal, CEO of the Indian Semiconductor Mission (ISM) and Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY), provided statistical context for India's economic progression, noting that the country advanced fr0m being the 11th largest economy in 2012 to the 5th largest in 2024. 

He highlighted remarkable growth in the electronics sector, which evolved fr0m being India's 12th largest export sector in 2017, with exports valued at USD 6.4 billion (representing 2 percent of total exports), to becoming the 5th largest export sector by 2023-24, with exports reaching approximately USD 29 billion (7 percent of total exports). 

Pal added that in the first ten months of the current financial year, electronics has already ascended to become India's third largest export sector.

The inauguration ceremony featured several significant announcements, including a tripartite agreement and four two-party MoUs. Notable among these was an agreement between Tata Electronics and IIT Gandhinagar focusing on skill development. 

Additionally, a fiscal support agreement was signed between ISM and Tata Electronics for the establishment of a semiconductor fabrication unit at Dholera, representing an investment of Rs 91,526 crore.

(KNN Bureau)