PM Modi Hails 'India's Techade', Addresses Groundbreaking Ceremony For HCL-Foxconn Semiconductor Unit In Uttar Pradesh

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed the groundbreaking ceremony for the HCL-Foxconn semiconductor unit in Uttar Pradesh via video conferencing on Saturday, 21 February.

The ceremony marks a historic milestone in India's path to becoming a global semiconductor hub, shortly after the Global AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a release on Saturday.

Speaking to the gathering, PM Modi emphasised that India is working to achieve Viksit Bharat rapidly. "I have said from the ramparts of the Red Fort, India has no time to stop or pause. Since the beginning of 2026, India has accelerated its pace," he said, while citing the recent milestones such as the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue, National Startup Day, and India Energy Summit.

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PM Modi mentioned that the Viksit Bhara budget has generated fresh momentum in the progress of the nation, making this a truly historic week for India. Highlighting the AI Impact Summit, he said that world leaders, heads of state, and tech giants gathered to witness the country's AI capabilities, ultimately recognising and praising India's strategic vision.

“India is now striving to stand alongside the world's top nations in providing the processing power required to run the modern world and is working simultaneously on software and hardware aspects”, PM Modi said.

Current decade is India's Techade, says PM Modi

The Prime Minister reaffirmed his vision of the current decade as India's 'Techade', emphasizing that investments in Green Energy, Space Technology, Digital Innovation, and AI will lay the groundwork for 21st-century capabilities. He highlighted that India is making unprecedented investments across all technologies shaping humanity's future, with the development of a strong semiconductor ecosystem in India serving as a prime example.

Comparion of chips with oil

To highlight the strategic importance of chips, PM Modi drew a comparison between their value in the 21st century and oil in the 20th century. "During the Corona pandemic, the world saw the fragility of the chip supply chain. When supply hit a brake, global economies faltered”, Shri Modi noted. He highlighted that India learned from that crisis to turn it into an opportunity and decided that India must become self-reliant in chip manufacturing.“Today's programme is a reflection of this vision”, he said.

Prime Minister Modi emphasised that "Made-in-India" chips are essential for a Viksit Bharat, fueling key sectors such as AI, 6G, defence, and EVs. To realise this vision, he pointed to the Chips to Startup initiative, which aims to train 85,000 specialists, along with budget-driven progress like the Semiconductor Mission's second phase and the creation of Rare Earth Corridors, facilitating comprehensive R&D and manufacturing support.

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PM Modi, who is a Member of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh, shared immense pride in the transformation of the state.

“UP is becoming a major centre for the semiconductor ecosystem, which will bring design houses, R&D centres, and startup ecosystems to the region, creating vast employment opportunities for the youth”, he said.

Concluding his speech, the Prime Minister expressed gratitude to HCL Technologies Chairperson Roshni Nadar and Foxconn Semiconductor Business Group President Bob Chen for their collaboration. He observed that Foxconn's presence conveys a global message: "A democratic India is a trusted partner. Our participation in the value chain increases its resilience, a win-win for India and the world."

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