- Nobumitsu Hayashi hails Dholera’s world-class infrastructure, governance model and semiconductor-ready utilities during flagship review
- JBIC delegation assesses Tata Electronics’ ₹91,000-crore fab—India’s first commercial semiconductor plant—set to begin production in 2027
- Strong Japanese investor momentum continues across NICDC nodes with expansions by Toyota Group, NX Logistics and leading manufacturing firms
- Social infrastructure boom makes Dholera one of India’s most future-ready greenfield smart industrial cities
NE BUSINESS BUREAU
GANDHINAGAR, NOV 20
In a major endorsement of India’s semiconductor ambitions, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) Governor Nobumitsu Hayashi on Friday led a high-level delegation to the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation’s (NICDC) flagship industrial park—Dholera Special Investment Region (Dholera SIR). The visit focused on reviewing the rapid progress of India’s first emerging Semicon City and its expanding ‘plug-and-play’ industrial ecosystem.
Governor Hayashi praised the robust planning, infrastructure readiness and scalable utilities that position Dholera as one of the world’s most competitive destinations for advanced electronics and semiconductor manufacturing. He also expressed strong confidence in India’s semiconductor mission, citing the rapid progress of the Tata Electronics Semiconductor Fabrication Facility, being developed in partnership with Taiwan’s Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC).
Strategic Review of Dholera’s Smart Industrial Ecosystem
The visit began at the ABCD Building, Dholera’s central command and administrative complex, where the delegation reviewed its integrated planning framework, digital governance systems and centralised utility management. The team also visited the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC), the Experience Centre and the Torrent Power 400 kV Substation, underscoring Dholera’s utility strength and manufacturing readiness.
At the 163-acre semiconductor fabrication facility site, Tata Group leadership briefed the JBIC delegation on project milestones. With an investment of ₹91,000 crore, the fab will manufacture 50,000 wafers per month across 110 nm to 28 nm nodes, generate over 20,000 high-skilled jobs, and commence production in 2027—cementing India’s entry into global semiconductor value chains.
Growing Japanese Presence Across NICDC Industrial Nodes
NICDC MD & CEO Rajat Kumar Saini, and DICDL MD Kuldeep Arya, presented Dholera’s capabilities and investor pipeline. Japanese companies continue to deepen their footprint across NICDC projects, with the Toyota Group leading investments of over ₹1,700 crore across 116+ acres.
NX Logistics India Pvt Ltd, part of the expanding Japanese investor cohort, has now extended its presence from Shendra (AURIC) to Dholera, raising its overall investment to ₹86 crore and generating 400 jobs. Other Japanese firms including Nippon Express, Nagata, Sango and Fuji Silvertech are scaling operations across logistics, component manufacturing and industrial infrastructure services.
Rising International Interest in Semiconductors & Advanced Manufacturing
Dholera’s emergence as a strategic location for global high-tech industries has been evident over the past year, with visits from JETRO, JICA, JBIC, the Japan Chamber of Commerce, and several large Japanese corporations. Earlier this year, Japan’s Ambassador to India and Bhutan, Ono Keiichi, led a 70-member business delegation to Dholera.
The visit of Iwate Prefecture’s Vice Governor Jun Sasaki alongside JICA representatives further underscored Japan’s long-term intent to collaborate on high-technology and industrial development.
A Smart Industrial City with Rapidly Growing Social Infrastructure
Beyond industrial growth, Dholera SIR is simultaneously advancing as a holistic smart city. Key social infrastructure projects under development include:
• a 200-bed multispeciality hospital,
• an integrated school,
• a business-class hotel and guest house,
• an international tent city,
• a multi-cuisine food court,
• a fire station,
• and private residential-commercial complexes in the Activation Area.
With rapid infrastructure expansion, strong global investor interest and India’s most comprehensive semiconductor ecosystem, Dholera SIR is increasingly defining the next phase of India’s industrial transformation.
JBIC Governor Hayashi’s visit, officials said, reflects rising international confidence in India’s industrial capabilities and Dholera’s strategic role in India–Japan semiconductor cooperation under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICDP).
