Former NITI Aayog CEO and India’s G20 Sherpa, Amitabh Kant, has pinpointed the Bengaluru-Mysuru region as the prime ecosystem for semiconductor design and manufacturing within India.
Speaking at the India Global Innovation Connect event in Bengaluru on June 6, Kant underscored the region’s robust infrastructure, abundant supply of electricity, and essential minerals, positioning it as the most conducive location for establishing semiconductor fabrication plants.
“In India, no other location offers a superior ecosystem for semiconductor manufacturing than the Bengaluru-Mysuru belt in Karnataka. With its abundant supply of minerals, water resources, and consistent electricity, this region has the potential to emerge as the leading hub for both manufacturing and global design,” remarked Kant.
Addressing the proposed site for the country’s inaugural quantum computing tech park, Kant affirmed Karnataka’s suitability for this burgeoning technology hub.
He underscored the government’s strategic focus over the next five years on upskilling the youth in emerging technology domains, stating, “The forthcoming five-year tenure of this government will prioritize skill development and apprenticeship, generating new employment opportunities in emerging sectors beyond the traditional information technology landscape.”
Kant also advocated for the proliferation of upskilling startups to train young engineers in high-demand technologies. “We require a greater number of engineers to spearhead a new wave of Indian startups. To achieve this, we must cultivate at least 2 million developers proficient in domains such as artificial intelligence (AI) and data science. Engineering curricula must swiftly adapt to meet contemporary demands,” he added.
Discussing the INR 1 Lakh Cr R&D fund announced in Budget 2024, Kant revealed that the fund is set to become operational within the next three to four months. These remarks come amid an escalating global competition for semiconductor dominance, with India endeavoring to carve out a significant presence in this critical sector.
The central government’s initiatives, including the INR 76,000 Cr production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for semiconductor manufacturing and INR 6,000 Cr allocation for India’s Quantum Computing Mission, aim to harness emerging technologies to foster innovation and fortify the startup ecosystem.