key points:
Strategic Partnership: JICA facilitated a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) and Renesas Electronics Corporation, a leading Japanese semiconductor solutions provider.
Focus Areas: The collaboration will focus on research and development in very-large-scale integration (VLSI) and embedded semiconductor systems.
Support from Renesas: Renesas will contribute to curriculum development, hands-on learning experiences, and outreach programs at IITH, aiming to nurture semiconductor talent in India.
Opportunities for Students: IITH engineering students will have access to internships and full-time employment opportunities with Renesas, supporting India’s ‘Make in India’ strategy to build a self-reliant semiconductor ecosystem.
JICA’s Ongoing Support: JICA has been a longstanding partner of IITH, providing financial assistance for campus development through ODA loans totaling JPY 23,035 million (around INR 1,500 crores) and supporting the FRIENDSHIP technical cooperation project.
Japan Desk at IITH: The FRIENDSHIP project led to the establishment of the Japan Desk at IITH, promoting sustainable academic and industrial collaborations between India and Japan.
Significance of the Collaboration: Saito Mitsunori, Chief Representative of JICA India, highlighted the importance of promoting Indo-Japanese collaboration in high-end technologies like semiconductors, positioning this partnership as a vital aspect of JICA’s cooperation with India.
Boost to India’s Semiconductor Sector: The MoU aims to strengthen India’s semiconductor sector, leveraging Japanese expertise to enhance the nation’s technological capabilities and global standing in the semiconductor industry.
Hyderabad: In a significant move towards bolstering India’s semiconductor landscape, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has brokered a strategic partnership between the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) and Renesas Electronics Corporation. This collaboration, encapsulated in a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), aims to advance research and development in very-large-scale integration (VLSI) and embedded semiconductor systems.
Renesas Electronics Corporation, a renowned Japanese supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, will play a pivotal role in this initiative. The company will assist in developing a robust curriculum, provide hands-on learning experiences, and conduct outreach programs at IITH. This collaboration is poised to nurture the next generation of semiconductor talent in India. Additionally, IITH engineering students will gain opportunities for internships and full-time employment with Renesas, aligning seamlessly with India’s ‘Make in India’ strategy, which seeks to establish a self-reliant semiconductor ecosystem both domestically and globally.
JICA’s involvement with IITH is not new; it has been a consistent supporter of the institute’s development. Through Official Development Assistance (ODA) loans amounting to JPY 23,035 million (approximately INR 1,500 crores), JICA has substantially contributed to the campus’s growth. Moreover, JICA has been instrumental in the FRIENDSHIP project, a technical cooperation initiative aimed at fostering sustainable academic and industrial collaborations between India and Japan. A notable outcome of this project is the establishment of the Japan Desk at IITH, which serves as a hub for Indo-Japanese cooperation.
Saito Mitsunori, Chief Representative of JICA India, emphasized the significance of this partnership, stating, “Promotion of Indo-Japan collaboration in high-end technologies such as semiconductors will be a new but important sphere of JICA’s cooperation with India as the largest and closest development partner of the country.”
This MoU marks a forward-looking step in reinforcing India’s semiconductor sector, harnessing Japanese expertise to elevate the nation’s technological capabilities. As the global demand for semiconductors continues to rise, such collaborations are crucial in positioning India as a formidable player in the semiconductor industry.
