Attended a Taiwan-India outreach program board level 20 member delegation led by Mr. T.C. Guo, Chairman, Taiwan Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers Association (TEEMA). Other eminent leaders from Taiwan included His Excellency, CK Tien, Ambassador of Taiwan and Mei-Hua Wang, Vice Minister MEA Taiwan.
It has been a fascinating meeting with electronic industry leaders from Taiwan and India networking together to express hope of a new era of Taiwan-India cooperation in the sector.
In my addressal of this August audience, my key messages were:
- India is evolving very rapidly under the new political dispensation of Prime Minister Modi. The growth hacks are leveraging digitization in a big way – whether in smart cities, make-in-India, startup India or demonetization. We are scaling up to become the 2nd largest users in smartphones, internet and will become the 2nd largest online buyer market by 2022.
- Too many sceptics have scorned ESDM in India as not viable. Fact is, that the landscape is not barren any more. There are visible green shoots
- Adani’s $3 bln Solar PV manufacturing plant had its machine movein earlier this year – it is undergoing pilots as we speak; it will go for its factory acceptance test and commercial run in this quarter!
- India has its first Semiconductor fab operational at Chandigarh for over a year now. While it is not a TSMC, it does have a portfolio of 28 chips that have powered our strategic needs, including the India space program with specialized radiation-hardened chips. And it is operating like a mini-IDM with a design to process to device capability…it has just opened its PDKs to academia in conjunction with IESA…and it will open a limited capacity to Indian industry later this year.
- And there is a discussion for a $ 3 bln display fab.
- These pioneering projects will have a definitive and catalytic impact in the local landscape. Spray-and-pray approach to India will not work – at best, will be sub optimal.
- You have to catch the right wave, the right niche for maximum impact. IESA has some definitive programs for Taiwanese engagement in works – and we would like to reach out to make the handshake a success. Specific links to get the best options in Government incentives, potential JV partners and market access are just some of these elements.
- It is important to note that the opportunity is not just a growing India market – but a strategic position that can go beyond our borders to tap select niche global markets and create – a new future – and a deeper relationship between our nations.