Qualcomm to make modules in India

New Delhi: Ramping up its India focus, US semiconductor and wireless technology company Qualcomm is all set to announce a partnership to manufacture and source automotive modules from the country.

"We are expanding our relationship with India also for the beginning of advanced packaging and assembly and testing of semiconductors. And, we also want to announce a partnership to start leveraging some of the investment in foundry," Qualcomm president & CEO Cristiano Amon said.

The plan, whose details are likely to be unveiled Friday, came hours after PM Narendra Modi nudged global companies to "design and develop in India" for the global market. "Tomorrow (Friday), we will be making announcements about manufacturing some of the modules we provide to global companies in India, with new electronics manufacturing partners. We're also expanding our engagement in advanced packaging, assembly and testing as part of India's growing semiconductor supply chain," Amon said.

India is an R&D hub for the American company, the second largest after the US. It announced the first 2 nanometer chip to be entirely designed by the team in India.

Amon said that the company now wants to leverage that capability in India, which has got a boost due to govt's efforts to create the manufacturing ecosystem for electronics. "It is the beginning of a semiconductor supply chain. That's a significant expansion because they will not only have design capabilities in the country, but also the ability to manufacture. At the end of the day, we all know chips are important. Chips go into everything. The world needs a more diversified and more semiconductor manufacturing capacity."

Asked if the plan will be confined to India or will also cater to the global supply chain, Amon said the company is starting with design of some of its component chips, especially for power management. "We will leverage investments in India for semiconductor manufacturing as capacity becomes available, and we will begin engagement for fabrication. Once that is done, these products will be part of the Qualcomm product line-up sold to customers worldwide."

The Qualcomm boss also said that govt should move on the path that it has taken to boost electronic manufacturing, digital governance and sovereign AI. "Those things, by definition, are multi-year commitments. It's really important that the enthusiasm that exists right now continues. It's a multi-year journey. But, at the end of the day I think when it's all done, everybody will look back and say that it was the right decision. Digital will be important for India and will be a very important tool in the development of the country."