[News] Tata’s India Fab Reportedly to Launch at 90nm Instead of 28nm; Commercial Production Delayed to Mid-2028

Tata Electronics is set to launch India’s first semiconductor manufacturing project, though the technology may be less advanced than initially planned. According to Bloomberg, sources say the company is preparing to build the country’s first large-scale chip fab at Dholera in Gujarat, with production expected to rely primarily on the 90nm process. That represents a more modest starting point than the 28nm node Tata Sons, the group’s holding company, identified in its annual report for the fiscal year ended March 2025. The wide process gap underscores the challenges India faces in building a domestic chip industry from scratch.

While Tata had previously targeted commercial production by the end of 2026, India’s Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Dholera fab is now expected to begin commercial operations in mid-2028, the report notes.

Tata has partnered with Taiwan’s Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. (PSMC) on the project. As Bloomberg reports, PSMC spokesperson Eric Tang said the partnership covers multiple nodes, with 28nm being the most advanced. He added that technology transfers are typically introduced gradually, starting with more mature nodes.

Tata Electronics, however, said the Dholera fab will manufacture chips using nodes ranging from 28nm to 110nm. A company spokesperson said the plan has always been to start with 55nm and 90nm before introducing 28nm, adding that the 28nm node “will be a key part of our offering.”

As Bloomberg highlights, 28nm remains one of the semiconductor industry’s most commercially significant mature nodes, producing chips used in smartphones, communications equipment, consumer electronics, and increasingly, vehicles. Starting with 90nm instead suggests Tata is initially targeting a lower-value segment of the market.

Meanwhile, Tata is continuing to strengthen its semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem through partnerships with global companies. Reuters reported in May that Tata Electronics and ASML signed an agreement to support the development of India’s first front-end semiconductor fabrication plant in Gujarat, as the country accelerates efforts to build a domestic chip industry. According to a joint statement cited by Reuters, ASML will provide technology for Tata Electronics’ planned 300mm semiconductor fabrication plant in the state.

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(Photo credit: Tata Electronics)