- The short: what’s approved and what’s under construction
- Factory scope: capacity, nodes & target end-markets
- Supply-chain map: tools, chemicals, EPC/hiring
- Assam OSAT & Gujarat linkage (packaging → wafers)
- Tape-out timelines and risk knobs to watch
The short
- Project: Tata Electronics + PSMC building India’s first 12-inch wafer fab at Dholera, Gujarat, sized up to 50k wafers/month.
- Tech focus: Mature nodes (e.g., 28/40/55/90/110 nm) for PMICs, display drivers, MCUs and logic—auto/industrial heavy.
- Status: Agreements signed; construction underway; parallel build-out of OSAT in Assam (Jagiroad) and supplier ecosystem.
Factory scope (what’s planned)
| Parameter | Illustrative detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR), Gujarat |
| Capacity | Up to ~50,000 wafer starts per month |
| Nodes (portfolio) | ~28/40/55/90/110 nm (mature mix) |
| Applications | Automotive, power management, display, industrial/IoT, storage logic |
| Partner | Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC), Taiwan |
Why mature first? Faster tool availability, broad demand, lower capex/learning-curve risk than bleeding-edge EUV.
Supply-chain map (who’s setting up)
Tools & engineering
- Tokyo Electron planning offices in Dholera & Assam to support fab/OSAT buildouts.
- Applied Materials expanding India engineering footprint (Bengaluru), rallying global suppliers.
- Jacobs involved in semicon EPC/engineering programs in India.
Materials & chemicals
- Merck (Electronics) in partnerships/MoU for specialty materials & infra enablement.
- Local supplier scouting underway for wet chem, slurries, CMP, gases—expect phased localisation.
Assam linkage (OSAT → fab flywheel)
Tata’s Semiconductor Assembly & Test facility in Jagiroad, Assam targets advanced packaging at scale. As Dholera ramps wafers, domestic OSAT capacity helps shorten cycle time, build yield learning, and localise value-add.
- Demonstrator chips and early lines showcased at Semicon India 2025 underline the pipeline.
- Tool vendors opening Assam nodes (besides Dholera) reduce logistics friction.
Talent & hiring bar (near-term)
Critical roles
- Module owners: litho, etch, CVD/PVD, implant, CMP, metrology
- Facilities: ultrapure water (UPW), bulk/specialty gases, waste abatement
- QA/Yield & test: reliability, failure analysis (FA), SPC
Ramp reality
- Expect phased quals by product family; auto/industrial quals add time
- Strong vendor-on-site presence during bring-up is a must
Tape-out & volume — desk timeline
| Milepost | Indicative window | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Superstructure & cleanroom fit-out | 2025–H1 2026 | Tool move-in cadence; UPW/gas qualification |
| First silicon / line quals | H2 2026 | Yield ramps on PMIC/DDI/MCU families |
| Customer quals / pilot shipments | Late-2026 to early-2027 | Automotive/industrial AEC-Q flows |
| Meaningful volume | 2027 | WSPM toward steady-state; local material share rising |
Risk knobs: Tool lead-times, utilities build (power/water), specialist headcount, and demand timing. OSAT readiness in Assam is a helpful buffer.
Supplier & investor checklist
- Shortlist SKUs aligned to mature-node demand (auto/industrial). Map qual timelines.
- Co-locate service/consumables near Dholera + Assam to cut downtime.
- Build training pipelines with ITIs/universities now; don’t wait for volume.