India's First Semiconductor P ackaging Plant in Assam Soon to Propel Future Skills Revolution

Defense News ,India :- Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar recently declared the establishment of Assam's inaugural semiconductor packaging facility valued at nearly ₹25,000 crore. This announcement was made at the Digital India futureSKILLS Summit, hosted at Gauhati University's Birinchi Kumar Baruah Auditorium.

Chandrasekhar attributed the success of this venture to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's leadership and the collaboration between the Assam Government and the TATA Group. He highlighted the elimination of the need for aspiring young Indians in the semiconductor industry to relocate, thanks to this initiative.

The Minister underscored India's economic transformation from the 'fragile 5' to the 'top 5' global economies, crediting PM Narendra Modi's leadership. He emphasized the abundance of opportunities in emerging technology sectors and urged youth to equip themselves with skills in AI, cybersecurity, and semiconductors.

Notable companies like NVIDIA, Intel, AMD, HCL, Wipro, and IBM conveyed a unified message at the summit — abundant job opportunities exist, but acquiring the necessary skills is crucial. Chandrasekhar outlined the government's three-pronged strategy, including futureDESIGN for design innovation, futureLABS for system innovation, and futureSKILLS to prepare the youth for emerging sectors.

FutureSKILLS aims to position India as a global leader in technology, creating a competitive talent pool accessible globally. The summit, organized by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) through the National Institute of Electronics and IT (NIELIT), brought together dignitaries, industry leaders, policymakers, and technology enthusiasts to discuss strategies for nurturing future-ready talent.

Assam Education Minister Dr. Ranoj Pegu highlighted the state government's efforts in digital skilling, citing projects worth Rs. 1800 crore implemented across 77 polytechnics and ITIs. An agreement with TATA to establish a semiconductor industry near Guwahati was also disclosed.

Key speakers included Kuntal Sensarma, Economic Adviser at MeitY, Jaya Jagadish of AMD India, Ruchir Dixit from Siemens EDA, Lingraju Sawkar, President of Kyndryl India, Ganesh Gopalan, CEO of Gnani.AI, and Prof. Subhasis Chaudhuri, Director of IIT Bombay.

Ganesh Gopalan expressed that India is an ideal location to start an AI company, citing a global projection of around 100 million AI jobs in the next five years. Ruchir Dixit highlighted an expected shortage of 4 lakh skilled workers in the electronics industry in the next five years, presenting a significant opportunity.

Kuntal Sensarma, Joint Secretary & Economic Adviser at MeitY, emphasized skills as the passport to prosperity and MeitY's focus on skilling in emerging technologies. The summit aims to formulate a roadmap to transform India into a global talent hub.

Jaya Jagadish, Head of AMD India, stressed the semiconductor industry's vital role in modern technology. Lingraju Sawkar, President of Kyndryl, invoked APJ Abdul Kalam's quote, emphasizing the summit as an opportunity to transition from job generator to job provider.

Prof. Subhasis Chaudhuri, Director of IIT Bombay, highlighted government skilling programs and NIELIT leveraging the New Education Policy 2020. Dr. Y. Jayanta Singh, Executive Director of NIELIT Guwahati, delivered a vote of thanks.

The summit featured exhibitions and interactive sessions with startups and academia representatives. Over 30 innovative future skills technologies were showcased. Strategic collaborations between NIELIT and industry players like Intel, HCL, Microsoft, Kyndryl, IIM Raipur, IIITM Gwalior, and Wipro were formed to bridge the gap between academia and industry standards.

Four panel discussions centered on Semicon India, IndiaAI, Cyber Security & Emerging Technologies, and Digital India's Talent for the Global Workforce. The summit concluded with Chandrasekhar expressing gratitude to all contributors, highlighting the significance of empowering Assam's youth with digital skills.