India’s Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, on Thursday announced that the first Made-in-India semiconductor chip of 28-90 nm technology is set to be rolled out this year.
Addressing the CII Annual Business Summit here, the minister said, “We targeted a particular segment, which has 60 per cent of market volume, using a focused approach.”
“Today, we have six units under construction. The first Made-in-India chip of 28-90 nm will roll out this year. We started manufacturing in 2022,” the minister added.
In semiconductor manufacturing, smaller nanometer (nm) measurements signify more compact transistor designs, allowing manufacturers to fit more transistors onto a single chip. The 28-90 nm chip is used in automotive, telecom, power, and train applications.
Underscoring the importance of the manufacturing sector, the Vaishnaw said, “Many top economists want us to focus on services. Manufacturing and services are both equally important for the next level of growth. We should increase our work wherever we get the opportunity. We should have our own IP, product, design, and standards.”
He also highlighted the positive changes happening due to Artificial Intelligence (AI). “We have experienced a big change due to AI, and it is here to stay,” Vaishnaw remarked.
“What the internet did for the world, a similar phenomenon will be brought forth by AI. We should be prepared for that change regardless of industry or sector. AI will bring a humongous change in our society and industry,” the minister said.
The minister emphasized the need to develop AI models trained on Indian culture, nuances, languages, and social norms. He added that one of the first such models is being developed by Sarvam.
Vaishnaw also highlighted the achievements and growth of Indian Railways, of which he also holds charge as minister.
“We have achieved a major milestone as we have become the second-largest cargo-carrying railway in the world, transporting 1,612 million tonnes of freight, overtaking the US and Russia,” he said.
“Our passenger-carrying capacity has also increased substantially. We have reached a level where dreams are being fulfilled and goals are being achieved. We are moving in a steady direction in railways; more industries must join,” Vaishnaw added.
Vaishnaw further said that the country’s experiment of bringing startups into the railway sector has proved very successful. “We are now bringing a new policy where we can test a new innovative idea and then scale it up based on the test results,” he added.
(Courtesy: DD News & IANS)
