Bengaluru, May 28 (UNI) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday reaffirmed the state's commitment to becoming India's semiconductor hub, following a meeting with the leadership of Applied Materials, a leading global semiconductor equipment manufacturer.

"With a strong two-decade presence in Bengaluru, they shared an impressive blueprint to kickstart a transformative chapter in Karnataka’s semiconductor journey," Siddaramaiah stated. "Our government is committed to full cooperation and providing a seamless platform for investment."

Applied Materials has announced plans to establish a Collaborative Engineering Center in Bengaluru, with an investment of $400 million over four years.

The center aims to bring together engineers, suppliers, and academic institutions to accelerate the development and commercialization of technologies for semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

It is expected to support over $2 billion in planned investments and create at least 500 new advanced engineering jobs, along with potentially another 2,500 jobs in the manufacturing ecosystem.

In addition to Applied Materials' investment, the Karnataka government has approved Zoho-backed Silectric's proposal to set up a semiconductor unit in the state at a cost of ₹3,425.6 crore.

Furthermore, the state has cleared an allocation of ₹89.80 crore for the creation of a Semiconductor Fabless Accelerator Lab 2.0, aimed at developing the fabless ecosystem and enabling the creation of startups and Indian intellectual property.

The state is also focusing on expanding its semiconductor ecosystem beyond Bengaluru. State IT Minister Priyank Kharge has stated that Bengaluru will be the semiconductor design hub, while Mysuru will serve as a complementary cluster for manufacturing and related activities.

These developments underscore Karnataka's strategic efforts to position itself at the forefront of India's semiconductor industry, leveraging its robust IT ecosystem, skilled workforce, and proactive policy initiatives.

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