India being positioned as global hub for semiconductor manufacturing: Amat

Applied Materials is a leader in materials engineering solutions used to produce virtually every new chip and advanced display in the world. For more than 55 years, their innovations have improved the lives of billions of people around the globe.

Dr.Suraj Rengarajan, MD and SPG India Head, Applied Materials India, tells us more. Excerpts from an interview: 

DQ: How is Applied Materials contributing to the development of the Indian semiconductor ecosystem? What specific programs or initiatives are you undertaking to foster growth and innovation within the Indian semiconductor landscape? 

Dr. Suraj Rengarajan: We recognize the tremendous growth potential within India's semiconductor sector, and we are fully committed to supporting the country's ambitions to become a global semiconductor hub. With over two decades of successful operations in India, we are excited to continue our collaboration with the government, industry leaders, and academia to drive forward the India Semiconductor Mission.

A cornerstone of our contributions is the Applied Materials Innovation Center for Semiconductor Manufacturing, which we announced in 2023. The innovation center will focus on development and commercialization of technologies for semiconductor manufacturing equipment. and will help in building a robust semiconductor supply chain ecosystem in India. 

It will enable collaborative engineering with our key supply chain and academia partners thereby accelerating time to commercialization of new technologies. This will help strengthen India’s role in the global semiconductor value chain. Moreover, this initiative will serve as a catalyst for developing India’s semiconductor talent, with a goal to train several engineers and technicians in the coming years. 

In parallel, the Applied Materials India Validation Center exemplifies our commitment to deepening our presence and capabilities in the Indian semiconductor space. The Validation Center is a strategic initiative, facilitating end-to-end product design and qualification processes. It enables us to scale our operations and conduct early pilot projects, process engineering, and collaborative research, all within India. 

Additionally, the Center plays a key role in advancing semiconductor innovation, with Applied Materials engineers in India generating over 150 patents annually on average, further enhancing the global competitiveness of the Indian semiconductor industry.

We also understand that talent development is integral to building a robust semiconductor ecosystem. To this end, we have established collaborations with some of India’s most renowned academic institutions, including IIT Bombay, IISc Bangalore, IIT Patna, and IIT Ropar. These efforts help foster a new generation of engineers and scientists with the skills necessary to drive innovation in semiconductor technology. 

Through these collaborations, students can gain hands-on experience and exposure to global industry leaders, equipping them with the expertise needed to excel in the evolving semiconductor landscape.

DQ: How is Applied Materials partnering with the Indian government to advance the goals of the India Semiconductor Mission? What are the key areas of collaboration? 

Dr. Suraj Rengarajan: The Indian government has demonstrated a strong commitment to positioning India as a global hub for semiconductor manufacturing, offering an attractive ecosystem for investment. The India Semiconductor Mission is a strategic initiative undertaken by the Indian government to promote the domestic semiconductor industry. This includes the Semicon India program with a total outlay of Rs 76,000 crore for the development of semiconductor and display manufacturing ecosystem in the country.

Such ambitious and integrated initiatives are vital to kickstarting India’s semiconductor sector, and Applied Materials is proud to be a part of this transformative journey.

As a member of the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) Talent Roadmap Committee, we are working to help build a robust talent pipeline that will propel the semiconductor industry forward. Through collaborations with leading academic institutions such as IIT Bombay, IISc Bangalore, IIT Patna, IIT Ropar, IIT Madras, IIT Kanpur, IIT Delhi, and IIT Hyderabad, we are actively contributing to the development of the next generation of skilled professionals. 

These collaborations are designed to provide students and future engineers with the critical expertise required to excel in the semiconductor industry, while also benefiting from exposure to global industry leaders.

In addition to academic collaboration, Applied Materials has launched the ASCENT program, a unique initiative to foster innovation and education in semiconductor equipment. It will provide collaboration opportunities for Applied, research institutes and government bodies to address critical challenges in product development faced by the industry. 

We recognize the pivotal role that the Indian government plays in creating a favorable environment for innovation, and we are eager to work closely with governmental initiatives to further accelerate the development of the semiconductor ecosystem.

A significant milestone in our collaboration with the Indian government is the recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the Tamil Nadu government to establish a cutting-edge, AI-enabled Centre of Excellence in Chennai. This Centre will focus on semiconductor manufacturing and equipment, supporting both skill development and technological innovation. 

Our contributions to the growth of the semiconductor sector in India are designed to create an environment where innovation can thrive, and talent can flourish.

DQ: What role is Applied Materials playing in developing a resilient domestic supply chain ecosystem? 

Dr. Suraj Rengarajan: Several semiconductor fabrication and assembly manufacturing centers are being developed for India. This brings significant optimism about the country’s growing role in the global semiconductor supply chain. However, to fully realize this potential, addressing critical supply chain bottlenecks remains essential, particularly in terms of setting up foundational fab infrastructure, establishing efficient service operations, and ensuring the availability of necessary equipment and support.
 
Applied Materials is supporting the growth of a resilient domestic supply chain by collaborating with global suppliers from regions such as the U.S., Europe, Japan, and beyond. We are helping these suppliers as they set up operations in India, which will expedite the commercialization of semiconductor chips and help develop a sustainable, self-reliant ecosystem in the country. 
 
In line with this, we are working closely with our partners to explore collaboration opportunities at our upcoming Applied Materials Innovation Center for Semiconductor Manufacturing. This center will serve as a hub for innovation and collaboration, where we will provide guidance, technical expertise, and support to local component and subsystem suppliers. 

In parallel, Applied is working with several local suppliers to help them get qualified to semiconductor standards and become suppliers for fab infrastructure, fab operations and fab equipment manufacturers. By assisting these suppliers in developing high-quality semiconductor parts, we aim to cater not only to domestic demand, but also to global markets. 

DQ: How is Applied Materials leveraging AI to accelerate innovation across its products and services. What opportunity does it hold for the Indian market? 

Dr. Suraj Rengarajan: We are leveraging AI to drive innovation across our products and services. Our key focus areas include accelerating material discovery, optimizing operational efficiency, and boosting productivity.

Inside the company, we are building a robust hybrid cloud infrastructure, modernizing ERP systems, and integrating big data and IT lab services to foster an AI-centric workforce and business processes. These initiatives are geared towards enabling faster and more efficient advancements in semiconductor technology, which are essential to meet the demands of the evolving market.

Moreover, Applied Materials is exploring AI-driven processes to enhance service performance and automation within our operations. In India, we are also taking a proactive role in advancing AI practices within the semiconductor sector. We are forming a consortium of semiconductor organizations to benchmark and share AI best practices, fostering a collaborative ecosystem that drives collective growth and innovation.

A significant part of our efforts to advance AI innovation in India is our Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tamil Nadu government to establish an AI-enabled Centre of Excellence. Focused on semiconductor manufacturing and equipment, this center will serve as a hub for cutting-edge research, development, and skill-building in AI technologies, further strengthening India’s semiconductor ecosystem.

Through these efforts, Applied Materials is advancing AI technologies within its own operations and also contributing to the broader semiconductor and AI ecosystems in India, helping the country unlock new opportunities for growth, innovation, and leadership in the global semiconductor market.

DQ: What specific initiatives is Applied Materials undertaking in partnership with the government and academia to develop India's semiconductor talent pool? How are these programs designed to create a future talent pipeline capable of supporting the long-term growth of the semiconductor ecosystem? 

Dr. Suraj Rengarajan: Applied Materials is helping foster India’s semiconductor talent pool by partnering with both the government and leading academic institutions. Through strategic collaborations and targeted initiatives, we aim to build a skilled workforce capable of supporting the long-term growth of India’s semiconductor ecosystem.

One of the cornerstone initiatives is our longstanding partnership with IIT Bombay, which spans over 18 years and is one of the most extensive collaborations between an Indian university and a multinational corporation. This collaboration has led to the establishment of two specialized labs on the IIT Bombay campus, NanoElectronics and Chemistry & Materials Sciences, focused on research and development in semiconductor technologies. 

In addition, we have launched India’s first-ever Semiconductor Certification course in partnership with IIT Bombay, designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in the semiconductor industry. This program is instrumental in developing a highly skilled talent pool.

Another key initiative, ASCENT, is designed to bridge the gap between academia and industry. The program fosters collaboration between universities, students, faculty, and industry professionals, providing them with hands-on opportunities to work on advanced semiconductor technologies. 

ASCENT aims to cultivate a future workforce that is not only adept at meeting the challenges of today’s semiconductor industry but is also capable of driving innovation in the years to come. It also plays a critical role in attracting and retaining top-tier talent within the sector, further enhancing India’s semiconductor capabilities.

These initiatives are part of Applied Materials’ broader strategy to develop a robust talent pipeline that will contribute to the long-term success of India’s semiconductor industry.