India preps $5 billion two-fab plan

Peter Clarke, EETimes
4/21/2011 6:03 AM EDT

LONDON – The Indian government has announced renewed efforts to try and create a chip manufacturing industry on the sub-continent and is looking for investment of about $5 billion to build two wafer fabs.

The exact level of government support for the plan would be finalized by way of negotiations with interested parties. This is set to happen after a report has been produced by the newly-formed Empowered Committee for identifying technology and investors for Semiconductor Wafer Fabrication (Fab) Manufacturing Facilities, the Indian government said in a statement.

The Empowered Committee is composed mainly of political appointments but is expected to co-opt industry experts and is due to report back to government by July 31, 2011.

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