Nava Raipur, April 11 (IANS) Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Friday laid the foundation stone for the country’s first Ultra-edge technology-based Gallium Nitride (GaN)-based semiconductor fabrication unit in Nava Raipur.

“This isn’t just a plant... it's the identity of the new Chhattisgarh," said CM Sai, hinting that its biggest social impact will be seen in Bastar and other Maoism-affected areas, where youth will be linked to this modern industry by giving them technical training.

"Our aim is not only to attract investments but to ensure that youth from tribal, rural, and backward regions receive technical training and become active participants in India’s technological revolution,” said the CM, according to an official statement.

At the event, the Managing Director of the company setting up the unit also announced an additional investment of Rs 10,000 crore in Chhattisgarh. He said that commercial production from the plant will start from April-May 2026.

Developed with an investment of Rs 1,143 crore, the state-of-the-art facility will produce high-frequency GaN chips designed to operate between 5.925 GHz and 13.75 GHz (Nodes N102–104), catering to advanced 5G and 6G telecommunications infrastructure and marking a major milestone in India’s technological journey.

The project is expected to create significant employment opportunities for local talent, while attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) and boosting regional economic development.

The plant aims to manufacture 10 billion chips annually by 2030, with potential to generate thousands of direct jobs and lakhs of indirect employment opportunities, said the statement.

It directly supports the Central's government's 'Make in India' and 'Digital India' initiatives by reducing dependency on imported semiconductors and promoting domestic innovation.

The company will handle the advanced packaging of these high-frequency chips at the Raipur facility, which will also serve as a hub for innovation in RF systems, defence electronics, artificial intelligence, data analytics, and high-performance computing.

Gallium Nitride is globally recognised as a superior alternative to silicon in high-power, high-frequency applications, due to its efficiency, thermal performance, and durability.

The establishment of this facility marks India's entry into a high-value, strategic segment of the global semiconductor market.

The statement said that the Chhattisgarh government has shown its commitment towards not just ‘ease of doing business, but also delivering ‘speed of doing business’. The state government took swift action to prevent any hindrance in setting up this unit.

The Chhattisgarh government signed an investment proposal with the company during the 'Chhattisgarh Investor Connect' held in New Delhi in December 2024.

According to the Industry Department officials, the company was allotted land in Sector 5 of Nava Raipur through the tender process in less than 45 days and the registration of the lease deed was completed in less than 25 days.