American chipmaker Qualcomm opens design center in Chennai

CHENNAI: American semiconductor manufacturer Qualcomm has opened a design centre in Chennai. The centre was inaugurated by Union Minister for Information and Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday, in the presence of the company’s president and CEO Cristiano R Amon.

The US-headquartered multinational corporation, Qualcomm, is famed for designing and manufacturing semiconductors and wireless telecommunications products.

“PM Shri @narendramodi Ji’s vision is to develop complete semiconductor ecosystem. Today one more building block – Qualcomm semiconductor design center inaugurated in Chennai. Thankyou Mr. @cristianoamon and special thanks for showing up in Indian traditional attire”, the minister posted on X.

PM Shri @narendramodi Ji’s vision is to develop complete semiconductor ecosystem.

Today one more building block – Qualcomm semiconductor design center inaugurated in Chennai.
Thankyou Mr. @cristianoamon and special thanks for showing up in Indian traditional attire. pic.twitter.com/EccbOmLrIX

— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) March 14, 2024

The minister also launched its 6G University Research India Program today, at the Ramanujan IT City, Taramani, Chennai. These initiatives mark a crucial step forward in Qualcomm’s journey of innovation also strengthening its presence in India. This expansion entails an investment of Rs 177.27 crore.

Talking about the semiconductor production in India, Vaishnaw pointed out that all the three semiconductor chips in the Qualcomm board will be designed now end to end in the newly inaugurated Chennai Design Center and thus meeting the Prime Minister’s vision of creating entire value chain of semi-conductor in India starting from design, fabrication and ATMP (Assembling, Testing, Marking and Packaging) and encompassing further all three layers of semiconductor ecosystem, i.e., talent pool, gases and chemicals and semiconductor equipment.

The Minister also said that the with foundation stone laying for three projects of semiconductor by the Prime Minister on Wednesday, the country will have capability in all fields — design, fabrication and ATMP (Modified Assembly, Testing, Marking, and Packaging).

“We have programmed with 104 universities spread across the nation where the latest design tools are made available to the students, to learn, experiment and try out new ideas,” the minister noted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stones for three new semiconductor plants in the country on Wednesday. In India’s endeavour to ramp up its semiconductor ecosystem, three new chip plants – two in Gujarat and one in Assam are being set up- in addition to the under-construction chip plant at Sanand in Gujarat. Tata Group is setting up two of these three new plants.

The semiconductor industry in India is still in a nascent stage, with various local and multinational companies intending to tap its vast potential. The Programme for Development of Semiconductors and Display Manufacturing Ecosystem in India was notified on December 21, 2021, with a total outlay of Rs 76,000 crore. (ANI)