The Honourable Minister for Large & Medium Industries & Infrastructure Development, Shri M.B. Patil, continued his series of discussions aimed at attracting investments by engaging with American semiconductor equipment manufacturer Applied Materials. The talks centered around the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for innovation and a Research and Development (R&D) laboratory in Whitefield, Bengaluru.
Applied Materials officials sought the government’s support for expediting the pre-construction approvals required to set up their lab. They emphasized the importance of chemicals and gases within the semiconductor ecosystem and discussed the ease of doing business in the state.
Shri Prabu G. Raja, President of Semiconductor Products Group, and Shri Srinivas Satya, Corporate Vice President and Managing Director of Applied Materials India, also explored the possibility of establishing a Centre of Excellence for innovation with government support. Their aim is to accelerate Karnataka’s ecosystem through collaborative efforts focused on skill development.
Notably, Applied Materials recently announced a $400 million investment plan spanning the next four years to establish an engineering center in Bengaluru.
Minister Patil and his delegation visited the company’s Maydan Technology Center, a facility dedicated to advanced chip manufacturing.
In a separate meeting with San Francisco-based Juniper Networks Inc., the delegation discussed various aspects, including enhancing the company’s R&D capabilities in Karnataka, exploring hardware manufacturing possibilities along with the supplier ecosystem, and the state’s policies and incentives.
Discussions also touched upon renewable energy plans for business operations and government collaboration in establishing a Centre of Excellence for design and wireless products by March 2024.
Key representatives from Juniper Networks, including Shri Rob Mobassaly, General Counsel; Shri Sujai Hajela, Executive Vice President (Engineering); Shri Shishir Singh, Senior Vice President; and Shri Sampak Garg, Senior Corporate Counsel and Director of Government Affairs, participated in the meeting.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives related to skill development in rural areas and collaborations for training in Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), and cybersecurity were also on the agenda.
Juniper Networks currently operates the largest data center in Karnataka, employing approximately 4000 people.
These ongoing meetings are part of Shri M.B. Patil’s 12-day tour to the United States of America, accompanied by senior officers from the Department of Industries, including Dr. S. Selvakumar, Principal Secretary to Government, Department of Commerce and Industries, and Smt. Gunjan Krishna, Commissioner of Industries.
In addition, discussions with Western Digital, which has a significant R&D presence in Bengaluru, covered custom-related matters, particularly relevant due to the company’s involvement in Hard Disk Drive development. The talks also addressed improving the ease of doing business and expediting approval processes.
Furthermore, at a dinner hosted by Indiaspora, a network of global Indian origin leaders, Shri M.B. Patil, Honourable Minister for Large & Medium Industries & Infrastructure Development, and Shri Priyank Kharge, Honourable Minister for IT&BT and Science Technology, unveiled their vision for industrial growth in Karnataka. They extended invitations to entrepreneurs, business owners, and innovators to consider investments in the state.
