ASML Begins Operations in India
The Dutch semiconductor lithography giant ASML has officially started its operations in India. Its primary focus is to provide crucial technical and operational support to Tata Electronics as they build India’s first semiconductor fabrication plant in Dholera, Gujarat.
India’s First 300mm Semiconductor Fab (Dholera, Gujarat)
- Investment: Tata Electronics is investing approximately $11 billion (₹91,000 crore) into this 300-millimeter (12-inch) wafer fab.
- Production Capacity: The facility is designed to produce 50,000 wafers per month.
- Timeline: Commercial operations are scheduled to begin by 2028.
- Applications: The plant will manufacture chips using 28nm to 110nm technologies, catering to industries like automotive, mobile devices, artificial intelligence (AI), and power management.
ASML & Tata Electronics Partnership
- Following a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in May 2026, ASML is deploying its advanced suite of lithography tools at the Dholera site.
- To support this, ASML is establishing a legal entity and a dedicated customer support office in India, as well as hiring local engineering talent.
- Currently, ASML has no plans to manufacture its equipment locally in India. Its immediate goal is to help Tata Electronics achieve a timely ramp-up, high yield rates, and top operational quality.
India’s Broader Semiconductor Goals (Semicon 2.0)
- The Indian government is heavily backing the ecosystem through its Semicon 2.0 scheme, which provides a $13.5 billion (₹1.27 lakh crore) incentive pool.
- ASML executives noted that India aims to meet 15% to 25% of local semiconductor demand by 2032, and up to 50% by 2035. Achieving these ambitious targets will require the establishment of roughly a dozen large-scale fabrication plants across the country.
