For the past two days, I had the privilege of attending Kizuna, the India-Japan Intellectual Conclave—an exceptional platform hosted by Asian Confluence, MEA, and the Embassy of Japan in India to shape the future of our strategic partnership.

With Jagiroad, Assam, set to host the Tata Semiconductor Facility, India is not just manufacturing chips; we are laying the foundation for a self-reliant, globally competitive semiconductor ecosystem.

But technology alone won’t define success. The real challenge? Building a holistic, resilient ecosystem that integrates people, businesses, and cultures.

Key focus areas I highlighted:

• Workforce Readiness: A semiconductor fab is only as strong as its engineers and technicians. Where will this talent come from? We need both immediate training programs and long-term university-industry partnerships to bridge the skills gap.
   
• Local SME Integration & Technology Transfer: India must move beyond being just a market. How do we empower our SMEs to co-create technology rather than just adopt it? Strategic collaborations and technology transfer agreements will ensure we build—not just assemble.
   
• Soft Infrastructure & Cultural Integration: Precision technology industries attract global talent, but are we ready to host them? A world-class semiconductor hub needs more than factories—it needs international schools, hospitals, hotels, and cultural ecosystems to make experts feel at home.

This is India’s first major step in building an advanced, capital-intensive semiconductor ecosystem. We are not just investing in fabs—we are building an entirely new industrial culture.

At the Indo-Japan Business Council, we remain committed to bridging gaps and fostering long-term, high-trust India-Japan business partnerships.

Join us at the 4th India-Japan International Business Conference in Chennai on 10th July 2025—where conversations turn into collaborations.