US Space Force to Assist in Establishing Semiconductor Plant in India

NEW DELHI: India is preparing to establish its first semiconductor fabrication plant dedicated to national security, which will produce chips for the US military, allied forces, and Indian defense units. This follows a landmark agreement between India and the United States, as outlined in a joint fact sheet released after the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden in Delaware.

According to the joint statement, “President Biden and Prime Minister Modi celebrated a historic agreement to create a new semiconductor fabrication facility, focusing on advanced sensing, communication, and power electronics for national security, next-generation telecommunications, and green energy applications.”

The fabrication plant will specialize in producing infrared, gallium nitride, and silicon carbide semiconductors. It will receive support from the India Semiconductor Mission and will benefit from a strategic partnership between Bharat Semi, 3rdiTech, and the US Space Force, as noted in the fact sheet.

Additionally, both leaders praised the cooperative efforts to strengthen secure, resilient, and sustainable semiconductor supply chains.

A prime example is GlobalFoundries’ (GF) creation of the GF Kolkata Power Center in Kolkata, designed to enhance collaborative efforts in chip manufacturing research and development. This initiative will pave the way for significant breakthroughs in zero- and low-emission vehicles, connected vehicles, IoT devices, AI, and data centers.

The leaders also acknowledged recent private sector partnerships in emerging technologies. IBM has signed memoranda of understanding with the Government of India, enabling the deployment of IBM’s Watsonx platform on India’s Airawat supercomputer.

This collaboration will create new opportunities for AI innovation, advance R&D efforts in semiconductor processors, and strengthen India’s National Quantum Mission.

Both leaders expressed satisfaction with the progress made since the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in November 2023. Through the “Innovation Handshake” project, this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by the US Commerce Department and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of India. Its goal is to strengthen the innovation ecosystems in both nations.

“Since then, the two parties have held two industry roundtables in the US and India, aimed at bringing together startups, private equity and venture capital firms, corporate investment departments, and government officials to establish connections and accelerate innovation investment,” it stated.

The leaders acknowledged the advancements toward the inaugural joint NASA-ISRO mission, set to conduct scientific research aboard the International Space Station in 2025. They commended the initiatives and exchange of ideas under the Civil Space Joint Working Group and expressed optimism that the upcoming meeting in early 2025 will unveil further avenues for cooperation. They committed to exploring opportunities to enhance joint innovation and strategic partnerships, particularly by investigating new platforms in civil and commercial space sectors.

During a special briefing on PM Modi’s visit to the US, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri remarked, “India focuses on reducing conflict and division, emphasizing democratic values while pursuing development goals, and showcasing the role of technology and the digital revolution in promoting good governance, aiming to channel the disruptive aspects of technology for positive outcomes.”

These themes were reflected in the bilateral discussions in Delaware, according to the Foreign Secretary. Misri pointed out that technology was a key focus in both bilateral and plurilateral talks, as highlighted in the quad fact sheet and the joint statement with the United States.

“In today’s plurilateral meetings, PM Modi emphasized India’s commitment to cooperation, engagement, and growth with various partners in the Indo-Pacific. It was notable to hear the other Quad leaders recognize India’s contributions,” the Foreign Secretary added.