The Union Cabinet has approved four new semiconductor projects worth ₹4,594 crore, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said at a press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Mr. Vaishnaw said “Semiconductors are a foundational, strategic industry without which no country can count itself among developed nations. Four projects have been approved, two in Odisha, one in Punjab, and one in Andhra Pradesh.”
Mr. Vaishnaw further said “Silicon carbide is a strategic need for the country. This plant will manufacture silicon carbide. This plant will be in Bhubaneswar. It’s an advanced plant where there will be advanced research. IIT Bhubaneswar has a research unit with great success. To grow silicon carbide, the powder is vapourised at 2,400 degrees, and accreted on a crystal. A wafer is then made. This is precision work, and this plant will do that work.”
3D Glass factory in Odisha
The Union Minister said “In this unit, Intel has an investment, the world’s big companies will invest soon: Lockheed Martin, many private equity and venture capital funds. This [3D Glass] technology will be used across various industries like defence.”
Mr. Vaishnaw said “3D glass is akin to a multi-storey building, it’s three dimensional packaging. It will be used in aerospace, defence, radar, wireless and high power computing racks.”
He said “Continental Device India Pvt Ltd (CDIL) will work with a Korean firm to make specific devices like MOSFETs in Punjab,” and added “The fourth plant will be by Advanced System in Package Technologies Pvt Ltd (ASIP) in Andhra Pradesh.”