Fast track chip-making plan: Upset Israeli company writes to PM

Tower Semiconductor, an Israel-based semiconductor foundry, sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking him to help speed up a government proposal for chipmaking, for which it had launched an expression of interest. (EoI) nine months ago.

May Withdrawal: The company said any further delay from the government would render it unable to remain active in the project for the near future.

We are disappointed and demoralized that despite the discussion at the highest level G2G for the proposed semiconductor factory … there is no idea where we are headed, the letter says.

We kindly ask you to express and convey the limitations of the GoI (Government of India) and its stakeholders without further delay, otherwise we express our inability to remain active in the project in the near future, he added.

$ 3 billion pitch: Tower Semiconductor is the technology partner of a consortium launched by Abu Dhabi-based Next Orbit Ventures that has launched a project for a $ 3 billion semiconductor manufacturing unit in Dholera , in Gujarat.

The letter was also addressed to Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Electronics and Informatics Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister of Trade and Industry Piyush Goyal. Sources said Vaishnaw, who took office as IT minister about two months ago, had a call with the consortium last week to understand various issues and assure them of government support.

Tatas plans for semiconductors: Last month, we announced that the Tata Group may soon enter semiconductor manufacturing, targeting a growing share of the high-tech electronics manufacturing market. to $ 1,000 billion. At Tata Group, we have already turned to a number of new businesses such as electronics manufacturing, 5G network equipment as well as semiconductors, in all likelihood, said N Chandrasekaran, president of Tata Sons. TittlePress