Gandhinagar, Feb 27 (IANS) Gujarat will host the SemiConnect Conference-2026 on March 1 and 2 in Gandhinagar, as the state advances semiconductor projects worth approximately Rs 1.24 lakh crore and positions itself as a key manufacturing base in India’s chip-making ambitions.

Addressing a press conference in Gandhinagar, state Science and Technology Minister Arjun Modhwadia said the conference forms part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s broader objective of making India a global semiconductor hub.

He said the disruption of global supply chains during the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly in semiconductor production, had severely affected industries worldwide and underscored the strategic importance of domestic chip manufacturing.

“Considering that challenge as an opportunity, the Prime Minister decided to make the country a semiconductor hub. As a result, today the nation is leading in semiconductor and fifth-generation smart manufacturing,” Modhwadia said.

He referred to the India AI Impact Summit-2026 held in New Delhi last week under the Prime Minister’s leadership, where around 88 countries issued a joint declaration on the ethical use of artificial intelligence.

He said, “Gujarat was emerging as a national hub for semiconductor production, supported by large-scale investments currently under development”.

The two-day conference will be attended by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Union Minister for Information and Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi.

Modhwadia said the event is being organised as the state’s flagship semiconductor platform, bringing together global and domestic partners across the electronics value chain.

He said the initiative would help establish Gujarat as a centre for memory packaging and advanced semiconductor manufacturing, strengthening India’s electronics production and strategic technology base.

The conference aims to facilitate collaboration between high-technology chip manufacturers, supply chain partners and domestic industries to support long-term ecosystem development.

According to the minister, the third edition builds on the momentum of the 2024 and 2025 events, which brought together stakeholders including fabs, foundries, equipment and material suppliers and design ecosystem partners.

More than 2,500 registrations have been received so far from over eight countries, including industry representatives, foreign institutions, researchers, investors and students.

Key investors expected to attend include Dr Randhir Thakur of Tata Electronics, Sanjay Mehrotra of Micron Technology, G. C. Chaturvedi of CG Power and Industrial Solutions, Ramesh Kannan of Kaynes Semicon and Ajay Manocha, President and Chief Executive of SEMI.

Modhwadia said announcements related to new investments and skill development initiatives in Gujarat’s semiconductor and electronics sector are planned during the event.

The programme will include panel discussions on next-generation semiconductors, logistics and infrastructure in hubs such as Dholera and Sanand, semiconductor financing through GIFT IFSC, research and workforce development, and strengthening India’s electronics ecosystem from printed circuit board manufacturing to component supply chains.

Country-focused roundtables with Taiwan and Japan, a Micron ecosystem roundtable, and a session titled ‘From Silicon to Students’ on workforce development are also scheduled.

Selected one-to-one meetings between senior industry leaders and government officials will take place alongside the formal sessions.

On March 2, delegates will visit Dholera Semicon City, where meetings with Tata Electronics and senior officials are planned.

Participants will be briefed on the plug-and-play industrial infrastructure, utilities and logistics preparedness supporting semiconductor-related developments.

The conference is being supported by international and national knowledge partners including SEMI, JETRO, KOTRA, the India Semiconductor Mission, ELCINA, IESA, ICEA, MEDEPC and Invest India.

Officials including Yu Yoshida of JETRO, Mr Kim of KOTRA and Homer Chang of TECC are expected to attend.

–IANS

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