L&T Semiconductor Technologies Limited (LTSCT), Tata Electronics and Japan-based Sumitomo Chemical have announced separate strategic partnerships covering semiconductor manufacturing, packaging and materials supply in India.

LTSCT and Tata Electronics will explore fabrication and packaging opportunities for LTSCT's current and future semiconductor products, while Tata Electronics and Sumitomo Chemical will collaborate on the supply and potential local manufacture of semiconductor materials for Tata Electronics' upcoming fabrication facility in Dholera, Gujarat.

The LTSCT-Tata Electronics partnership will cover the domestic manufacturing of India-designed semiconductor products for global customers. The collaboration will include the development of design and manufacturing capabilities for products targeting the automotive, industrial, communications, security and intelligent-edge sectors.

Under the partnership, the companies will jointly explore chip fabrication and packaging opportunities for LTSCT's existing and future products, using Tata Electronics' fab process technologies and packaging solutions. The collaboration will also cover design-to-fabrication optimisation and the manufacture of chips at scale.

The partnership brings together LTSCT's fabless semiconductor design capabilities and Tata Electronics' semiconductor manufacturing, packaging and testing capabilities. The companies will evaluate opportunities across different fabrication processes and packaging technologies as LTSCT expands its semiconductor product portfolio.

LTSCT is a wholly owned subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro and focuses on the design and development of semiconductor devices for global customers. Its planned portfolio includes products across power, compute, analogue/mixed-signal, Internet of Things (IoT) modules and radio-frequency technologies, with applications spanning automotive, industrial, energy, data centres and telecommunications.

Tata Electronics has capabilities across electronics manufacturing services, semiconductor assembly and testing, semiconductor foundry and design services. The company is developing semiconductor manufacturing capabilities in India and is building a 12-inch (300mm) semiconductor fabrication facility in Dholera, Gujarat.

Separately, Tata Electronics and Sumitomo Chemical have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore collaboration on the supply and local manufacture of semiconductor materials in India. The agreement covers materials for Tata Electronics' upcoming fabrication facility in Dholera.

Under the MoU, Sumitomo Chemical will explore supplying semiconductor materials to Tata Electronics' fab, including photoresists, functional chemicals and high-purity chemicals. The high-purity chemicals under consideration include hydrogen peroxide, isopropyl alcohol, ammonia water and sulphuric acid.

The two companies will also explore the manufacture of Sumitomo Chemical's semiconductor materials and high-purity chemicals in India. Tata Electronics will support Sumitomo Chemical in evaluating opportunities for local manufacturing.

Tata Electronics is building India's first commercial 12-inch (300mm) semiconductor fab in Dholera, Gujarat, with a planned investment of US$11 billion. The facility is intended to manufacture chips for applications including automotive, mobile devices and artificial intelligence, with products aimed at customers in India and global markets.

Tata Electronics has also established strategic partnerships with global customers and ecosystem companies. Its partnership with Taiwan-based Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC) is intended to provide access to semiconductor technologies covering 28nm to 110nm process nodes.

The collaboration with Sumitomo Chemical will cover the materials required for Tata Electronics' semiconductor manufacturing activities, alongside equipment, process and design technologies. Sumitomo Chemical supplies semiconductor and display materials through its ICT & Mobility Solutions business and has supplied materials used in semiconductor manufacturing processes to customers globally.

The partnerships form part of efforts by the companies to develop domestic semiconductor design, manufacturing, packaging and materials capabilities in India. The companies intend for the resulting semiconductor products and manufacturing activities to serve customers in India and global markets.