Gandhinagar, Nov 6 (IANS) A semiconductor equipment manufacturing facility involving a proposed investment of around Rs 1,000 crore in Sanand is among the key investment prospects emerging from Gujarat’s eight-day business outreach programme in Singapore and South Korea, as the state steps up efforts to attract global companies ahead of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit (VGGS) 2027.
Bharat SemiTech has expressed interest in setting up the facility in Sanand, further adding to Gujarat’s efforts to develop its semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem.
Several companies in Singapore and South Korea have also indicated interest in investment, technology partnerships, manufacturing expansion and pilot projects in the state.
A high-level Gujarat government delegation led by Forest and Environment, Climate Change, Science and Technology Minister Arjun Modhwadia visited the two countries from October 19 to 26 as part of preparations for the 11th edition of the summit, scheduled to be held in Gandhinagar from January 10 to 12, 2027.
The delegation included Science and Technology Department Secretary P Bharathi, who was the nodal officer for the visit, Planning Department Secretary Adra Agarwal, Joint Director (IT) Wasim Mansuri and GIFT City AVP (Business Operations) Nisarg Acharya.
Representatives of the Gujarat State Electronics Mission, FICCI and KPMG were also part of the team. In Singapore, the delegation held 20 engagements, including nine one-to-one business meetings, two government-to-government meetings, five roundtable discussions and four site visits.
It met Singapore Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Industry Gan Siow Huang and held discussions with India’s High Commissioner to Singapore, Dr Shilpak Ambule, on strengthening economic ties.
The delegation also interacted with the Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association, Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, ASEAN Innovation Business Platform, The Indus Entrepreneurs’ Singapore chapter and members of the Singapore Gujarati Society to explore investment and business opportunities.
During the visit, the team toured semiconductor and technology facilities, including Micron Semiconductor, Global Tech Solutions, ASMPT’s Yishun facility and A*STAR Fusionopolis.
Business meetings were also held with companies such as Redwood Interior, Autodesk, Guardant AMEA, Keppel Infrastructure, Itochu Corporation, Agrocorp International, SMIT Salvage and De Nora Water Technologies.
The delegation subsequently travelled to South Korea, where it undertook 25 engagements, comprising 15 one-to-one business meetings, three roundtable discussions and seven site visits.
It visited facilities and institutions including HJ Heavy Industries, Hanwha Ocean, Hanyang Engineering, GnBS Eco, Gachon University MRI Research Centre, Dawon Medax BNCT Centre and Seoul Semiconductor.
Discussions with South Korean companies covered semiconductors, display technology, data centres, shipbuilding, chemicals, biotechnology, clean energy, robotics, agricultural technology and industrial infrastructure.
The delegation explored opportunities for investment, joint ventures, manufacturing expansion, research and development, technology partnerships and skill development.
Among the companies and industry organisations that participated in discussions were Hanwha Maritime Services Division, Daesun Shipbuilding and Engineering, Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, TES, EYEQ Lab, TEMC, APS Innovation, Silicon Display, Dongwoo Fine-Chem, LAMKO, Nova Data Centre, HD Hyundai, CORESTEMCHEMON, MagneX MS and TagHive.
During the interactions, South Korean companies suggested that the Gujarat government appoint a dedicated single point of contact (SPOC) to facilitate investor engagement and provide assistance with project-related requirements.
The outreach programme focused on positioning Gujarat as an investment destination across sectors including semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, maritime services, healthcare, green hydrogen, digital technology, water management, agriculture and food processing.
The state government expects the engagements to lead to investment proposals, technology collaborations and business partnerships in the run-up to VGGS 2027.
–IANS
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