New Delhi [India], March 19 : Union Minister for Communications and Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, on Tuesday said that by the end of this year India would witness the launch of the first indigenous semiconductor chip. The Union Minister was speaking at the News18 Rising Bharat Summit.
Earlier on February 29, the Union Government had approved the setting up of three semiconductor units in India. Minister Vaishnaw emphasised on the crucial role of conviction and appropriate policies in achieving this feat.
"We will have the first made in India chip by December 2024. We the first attempt at this was made as far back as 1962 but unless you have the correct policy and right conviction it can't happen. PM Modi has the conviction that for Viksit Bharat we need electronics manufacturing. From TVs to power electronics, in everything we need semiconductors" the Minister said.
Vaishnaw revealed that the Prime Minister was deeply involved in ensuring that the manufacturing of semiconductors becomes a reality.
"When we used to ask for 45 minutes of PM Narendra Modi's time for semiconductor discussions, he used to give about 3 hours for a thorough discussion. He would discuss each element in detail line by line. All departments involved would be called personally and he would say that we need to be successful in semiconductors," Vaishnaw said.
Earlier on March 1, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that the country will emerge as a global hub in semiconductor manufacturing.
"With the Cabinet approval of 3 semiconductor units under the India Semiconductor Mission, we are further strengthening our transformative journey towards technological self-reliance. This will also ensure India emerges as a global hub in semiconductor manufacturing," PM Modi had said in a post on X.
Meanwhile, Minister Vaishnaw who also holds the Railways portfolio also said that the much-awaited bullet train project will be ready by 2026, with services between Surat and Bilimora.
Vaishnaw said the train will not be just a mode of transportation but will connect the economies of cities between Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
"It is not just a means of transportation. When it runs, it will connect the economy of all the cities around it... Mumbai, Thane, Vapi, Surat, Vadodara, Anand and Ahmedabad will become a single economy zone... The train will be ready by 2026... The train will run first between the Surat-Bilimora section," the minister said.
He further said while countries take 20 years to build a 500 km project, India will complete it in 8-10 years. The service will be world-class, he assured.
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