Question 1

India is currently manufacturing highly advanced 3nm semiconductor wafers domestically.

Accepted Answer

India's current operational facilities are OSATs (which package pre-fabricated wafers) and upcoming Fabs are targeting mature nodes (28nm and above), not cutting-edge sub-10nm nodes.

Question 2

OSAT facilities manufacture silicon wafers from scratch using raw sand/silica.

Accepted Answer

OSAT (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test) facilities receive fully processed silicon wafers from foundries. They slice, assemble, wire, package, and test these chips.

Question 3

Consider the following statements regarding the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) and domestic manufacturing:
1. The CG Semi facility at Sanand is India's first end-to-end OSAT pilot line, established as a joint venture involving Japanese and Thai technological partners.
2. The India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) is the nodal agency operating under the Ministry of Science and Technology.
3. Custom chips designed by academic institutions under the ISM talent pipeline have been successfully fabricated at the Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL) in Mohali.
How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

(b) Only two — Statement 1 is correct: The Sanand OSAT pilot line is a JV between CG Power, Renesas (Japan), and Stars Microelectronics (Thailand). Statement 2 is incorrect: ISM operates under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), not the Ministry of Science and Technology. Statement 3 is correct: Under the ISM talent pipeline, 20 custom chips designed by institutions were fabricated at SCL Mohali. Therefore, only two statements are correct.

Question 4

Match List I (Entity/Initiative) with List II (Description/Location) regarding India's semiconductor ecosystem:

List I
A. India Semiconductor Mission (ISM)
B. First OSAT Pilot Line
C. Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL)
D. SEMICON India 2025 Theme

List II
1. Sanand, Gujarat
2. 'Building the Next Semiconductor Powerhouse'
3. Operates under MeitY
4. Mohali, Punjab

Accepted Answer

(a) A-3, B-1, C-4, D-2 — ISM operates under MeitY (A-3). The first end-to-end OSAT Pilot Line by CG Semi is located in Sanand, Gujarat (B-1). SCL is a foundational fabrication facility located in Mohali, Punjab (C-4). The theme for SEMICON India 2025 was 'Building the Next Semiconductor Powerhouse' (D-2).

Question 5

Assertion (A): The initial phase of India's semiconductor manufacturing thrust prioritizes OSAT (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test) facilities and mature node fabs over sub-10nm cutting-edge fabrication plants.
Reason (R): Setting up OSAT facilities requires relatively lower capital investment, provides quicker entry into the global supply chain, and helps build foundational workforce skills before moving to complex front-end wafer fabrication.
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:

Accepted Answer

(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both statements are correct. India's strategy under the PLI scheme has deliberately targeted packaging (OSAT/ATMP) and mature nodes (28nm+) first. This is because cutting-edge Fabs (sub-10nm) require upwards of $15-20 billion and highly specialized ecosystems. OSATs require lower capex, yield faster operational timelines, and allow India to establish a foothold in the global supply chain while training its workforce.

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