Deputy Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang (front, second left) and ITA Director General Manharsinh Laxmanbhai Yadav (front, third left) watch Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi onscreen from Taipei City at a live and virtual event March 13 breaking ground on three new Indian chip fabrication facilities. (MOFA)
 

At the invitation of the India Taipei Association, Deputy Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang virtually attended the groundbreaking ceremony for three Indian semiconductor plants March 13 from Taipei City.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, one of the three facilities is India’s first semiconductor fab, cofounded by Taiwan’s Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. and India’s Tata Electronics in Dholera, Gujarat.

Prior to watching the event, Tien said he was honored to witness a significant moment of Taiwan-India cooperation in the semiconductor sector. He added that the joint efforts would facilitate India’s goal of independent chip production and would set a good investment example for other Taiwan businesses.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the gathering via videoconference, saying that the semiconductor industry is a major field of strategic cooperation between Taiwan and India. ITA Director General Manharsinh Laxmanbhai Yadav echoed the prime minister’s sentiments and said that such collaboration is crucial.

According to the MOFA, Taiwan boasts comprehensive industry clusters and mature chip manufacturing techniques while India specializes in chip and software designs. The union between the two powerhouses reinforces the safety and resilience of key supply chains in the region, the ministry added.

As a like-minded partner in the Indo-Pacific, India is one of the major target nations of Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy. The MOFA vowed to continue working with the country on talent cultivation, especially in the semiconductor industry, to advance the mutually beneficial partnership. (POC-E)