US chipmaker AMD poised to step up investment in India

Bengaluru: American chipmaking giant AMD is looking at India not merely as a market but as a development hub with the company’s design centre in Bengaluru beginning to make an important contribution to its products.

AMD chief executive officer Lisa Su told media persons that AMD had made a commitment last year to invest $400 million in India over five years to promote R&D, but the target is likely to be reached much sooner at the current rate of investment and innovation.

She said, “India is such an important part of AMD, when we look across all of our global portfolio, every aspect of our product line goes through our design centre in the country.”

She pointed out that India possesses the skill sets for both hardware as well as software and AMD has doubled its staff strength in the country over the last two years.

Su also said that AMD is building two supercomputers in India as the country was important for the company in both building its business as well as talent pool.

Su was in India to inaugurate the second phase of AMD’s Technostar campus in Bengaluru.

The ongoing investment in India is aimed at building a comprehensive semiconductor ecosystem – a vital component of the company’s long-term strategy. The company’s commitment also aligns with India’s wider ambition to become a global player in semiconductor manufacturing and AI technology.

Su also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “strong, pragmatic vision” for the semiconductor industry, which includes a focus on both ‘Make in India’ as well as technological advancements in artificial intelligence.

She expects India’s policy to attract global companies and build the necessary local infrastructure will result in building a thriving semiconductor and tech ecosystem in the country.

–IANS