Semiconductor Laboratory revamp: Tata, Texas, Tower among nine bidders

The government has received nine bids, from companies including the Tata Group, Tower Semiconductor and Texas Instruments, for the overhaul of its Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL) in Mohali, said people with knowledge of the development.

The government has earmarked about $1 billion for the modernisation of the 48-year-old facility.

The state-owned plant is the only chip manufacturing unit in India which produces semiconductors for strategic and defence purposes, including for space exploration such as the Chandrayaan mission. “The need for modernisation of SCL is for a strategic purpose,” a senior government official said, adding that it is keen that a local firm gets the mandate since a lot of the work is of national importance.