Bhubaneswar: Power electronics chip company SiCSem performed groundbreaking ceremony in Bhubaneswar Saturday for setting up the country’s first end-to-end silicon carbide semiconductor production plant, entailing investment of about Rs 2,000 crore.
The integrated facility, expected to be operational by 2027-28, will have a capacity of processing 60,000 SiC wafers annually and packaging about 9.6 crore units.
“Our dream of bringing advanced technology to Odisha is coming true today, and our special focus is on enabling a seamless integration of industry and academia. In this regard, we are partnering with IIT Bhubaneswar for a semiconductor research lab. I recently had the honour of approving Rs 4.95 crore from the MPLAD for establishing the NaMo Semiconductor Lab,” Union IT and Electronics Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on the occasion through a video message.
Silicon carbide chips are used for high-voltage applications in products such as renewable energy, electric vehicles, and power inverters.
The minister said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the electronics industries have grown six times in the last 11 years and India’s electronics export has increased eight times in 12 years.
“We are now the third largest exporter of electronic items in the world… I urge the state government to take up the semiconductor industries aggressively. The Centre will support Odisha in all matters. We can together make reforms and policy for the development of the sector. Odisha should make a Data Centre policy as all major industries across the world are now interested in having their Data Centre in India,” Vaishnaw said.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, along with the state’s electronics and IT minister Mukesh Mahaling, along with senior officials from the state government, were present at the event.
SiCSem Pvt Ltd Managing Director Guru Thalapaneni said the integrated facility will have a capacity of processing 60,000 SiC wafers annually and packaging approximately 9.6 crore units.
SiCSem, a subsidiary of Archean Chemical Industries, project for setting silicon carbide chip project was approved by the Cabinet August 12.
PTI
