Tata Sons chair: Tata Group to make big investment in semiconductor fab

CHENNAI: A huge investment will be made in the semiconductor fab segment, said Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran on Wednesday, more than a month after the group announced plans to build a new semiconductor fabrication plant in Gujarat.

“We have taken bets on future such as Air India and electronics and semiconductor. We will announce a fab very soon and it will be a very very big investment,” he said, delivering 20th Anantharamakrishnan Memorial Lecture. Earlier, Chandrasekaran received the MMA – Amalgamations Business Leadership Award.

Pointing out that India is well placed in the new geopolitical order, he said, clearly the foundations are fitting. “Roles of the US and China are evolving. India is finding its place in the new order. It is well placed to leverage opportunities these mega trends present.

Noting that India annually produces 2.2 million Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) graduates, one-third of the global figure, he said, “Supply chain including advanced manufacturing is getting redefined and India with its size, demography and many other advantages is well placed.” Big MNCs want to be in India, while most Fortune 500 companies have been in India for a few months.

Healthy competition is important, he said. “If you do not have a healthy competitor you will not improve.” Values are more important than valuations.