The government has inaugurated two new Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) centres in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi to significantly boost the electronics, information technology (IT) sector, and startup ecosystem in Kerala.
During his address at the FutureDesign Roadshow 2024, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship noted that these centres are poised to play a crucial role in strengthening the IT infrastructure of Kerala, providing state-of-the-art facilities to emerging tech startups, thereby enabling them to innovate, grow, and compete on a global scale. The minister also announced that the upcoming Bharat Semiconductor Research Centre (BSRC) will have a regional centre at the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram, catalysing the city’s startup and tech ecosystem.
In addition, the minister facilitated a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between IBM and the Center for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) which will aim to accelerate India’s processor design and manufacturing capabilities for high-performance computing.
The minister noted, “There is tremendous opportunity for Thiruvananthapuram to be a great catalyst for the growth of India’s digital economy. The newly inaugurated STPI centres in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi will bring the state on track to becoming the largest technology hub in south India while boosting the state’s startup ecosystem. The lack of political vision by the United Democratic Front (UDF) and Left Democratic Front (LDF)-led state governments made Kerala not only miss the bus but also get off the train of development altogether. Under the Prime Minister’s leadership, we will strive to ensure that the next wave of innovation comes from Kerala with young Keralites being its driving force.”
Further, he provided a comprehensive overview of the semiconductor ecosystem in India and highlighted its significant progress over the past 2.5 years. He also highlighted how the country is moving at a very fast pace with global majors setting up their units in India.
The minister added, “This is the most exciting for India in the semiconductor ecosystem, I would like startups and young Indians in Kerala to also join this journey of progress. The growth, success, and opportunities we are witnessing in this sector, in the coming years, we will only see that it will expand and accelerate. Digitisation and the intensity of technology in our lives, enterprises, and governments around the world are only increasing at an unprecedented rate. Even segments which were counterintuitive to embracing technology—government and governance, public services, water supply, subsidy delivery, things that were absolutely outside the ambit—are now embracing tech. This presents a huge opportunity for entrepreneurs of today and tomorrow to be part of, almost be at the starting line of designing and reimagining the systems of tomorrow, devices, and products of tomorrow. It is with that background that we have launched FutureDESIGN.”
Commenting on the development, Dr S Unnikrishnan Nair, director, VSSC and IIST, Thiruvananthapuram said, “In Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and IIST, we are deeply committed to the ideas of Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat in our pursuit of excellence in space technology. A vibrant semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem within the country will help the space sector in implementing new designs for complex missions. The government under the leadership of the Prime Minister is making rapid strides in this very critical and strategic area. Ministers like Rajeev Chandrasekhar understand that semiconductors are not a game for today or tomorrow but it is a day after tomorrow and the down the road game.”
Meanwhile, Dr V Narayanan, director, Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), ISRO, said, “It is a great honour for all of us in ISRO. Rajeev Chandrasekhar has made significant contributions in his tenure as the Minister of State during the last 5 years. We have been an independent country for the last 76 years, and we have come a long way in almost all sectors. For the nation to become Viksit Bharat multiple sectors and areas need to develop in a big way — electronics and semiconductor development is a key sector in this regard.”
Furthermore, Vishal Dhupar, managing director, South Asia, NVIDIA, said, “The opportunity is very much ours, we can make India not only the back office of the world but make it ‘the office’ of the world, build the intelligence here and export the intelligence to the world.”
