India `high’ on Intel’s list for setting up manufacturing facility: Craig Barrett

India, Sept. 3: Intel Corporation chairman Craig R Barrett today (September 03, 2007) said India continues to be “high on the list of sites” the world’s largest chipmaker could consider for setting up a manufacturing facility, if it requires additional capacity.

“We have no need for additional capacity as of now. When we need additional capacity, India remains high on the list of sites (for setting up a manufacturing facility). We will continue to invest in engineering and software activities in our centre in Bangalore,” Barrett said on the sidelines of the inaugural ceremony of a health-monitoring project for the Government-aided Higher Secondary Girls School here.

In June this year, Intel decided it would not set up any new assembly test facility, denting plans to have a plant in the country.

However, the decision was for all geographies. With the government announcing the Semiconductor Policy early this year, there was speculation on Intel setting up a manufacturing facility – a fabrication unit or an assembly test facility – in India.

By end of 2007, Intel would have invested upwards of USD 1 billion in its India operations, which is the largest R&D site outside US.

On challenges in India, Barrett said the challenges in the country were not different from that in other parts of the world. For growth, the thrust should be on quality of education and healthcare and technology can play a major role in bridging the digital divide in these sectors, he said.

Intel Technology India will provide internet-based content to over 1,800 higher secondary schools for student learning and training of teachers. An MoU to this effect was signed between the Tamil Nadu government and Intel today.

Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, Intel chairman Craig Barrett and Intel India president Frank Jones were present during the signing of the MoU. Tamil Nadu has over 1,800 higher secondary schools provided with computer lab infrastructure. Intel will assist the government in rolling out an education content framework that could enable accessibility of education content to the students and teach essentials for teachers of those schools.

The company and the government would work together to expand the network to scale the deployment to connect several schools, government offices and health centres in the state. Intel would also donate 500 PCs to government schools and assist in WiMAX connectivity for 50 schools in towns with WiMAX base station infrastructure, a company press release here said.

The company had trained 18,000 teachers across 11,000 schools in 30 districts and would continue its teaching initiatives. It had also invested in a tele health centre project for affordable and accessibility of cardiac and ophthalmic care in Villupuram district to benefit over 2.85 lakh people.

Intel, along with its partners, is investing in the pilot tele health centre project for cardiac and ophthalmic treatment at the Tindivanam taluk hospital, the release added.

Source: Agencies

Category: ICT for Development