It’s era of silicon diplomacy: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday “today is an era of silicon diplomacy”. He was referring to the importance of semi-conductors and technology in modern-day world.
Modi set a $500 billion production target for the Indian electronics industry by the end of this decade. At present, the production of electronics is $150 billion. This would create 60 lakh jobs, said the PM, who is often criticised by the Opposition over “lack” of jobs in India.
Silicon is a material used to create electronic parts and semi-conductors.
The PM was speaking at the inaugural session of the global SemiCon 2024 event at Greater Noida. Modi cited how integrated circuits were used in modern electronics to say India provided for an “integrated ecosystem” for the industry. Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were present at the event that also had members of the semi-conductor industry.
Modi mentioned how India was a partner in the Quad (India, US, Japan and Australia) semi-conductor supply chain. He reminded how an agreement had been signed in Singapore. “We are ramping up cooperation with the US in this field,” Modi said.
An MoU on the India-Singapore Semiconductor Ecosystem Partnership, inked on September 5, speaks about cooperation in developing a semi-conductor cluster and cultivation of talent in semi-conductor design and manufacturing.
The India-US tie-up mentioned by Modi is part of the India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET). It promises to “support the development of a semiconductor design, manufacturing and fabrication ecosystem in India”. Modi said, “Our government is focused on streamlining the entire supply chain. Our aim is that all devices across the world should have an India-made chip”.
India is the world’s second-largest producer and exporter of mobiles and is the second-biggest market of 5G handsets. Vaishnaw said two of the five private sector semi-conductor units that were given the nod had started work. He was referring to US company Micron and the Tata electronics unit. Work on the other three would start soon, he said.
Need eco-friendly options, PM bats for green hydrogen
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Wednesday that India is positioning itself to become a global hub for the production, utilisation, and export of green hydrogen.
Speaking at the second International Conference on Green Hydrogen 2024, he emphasised that the National Green Hydrogen Mission is driving innovation, infrastructure, industry, and investment.
“We are investing in cutting-edge research and development. Partnerships between industry and academia are being formed, and start-ups and entrepreneurs working in this domain are being encouraged. There is significant potential for a green jobs ecosystem to develop, and to support this, we are also focusing on skill development for our youth,” Modi said.
