Germany sees opportunities to deepen semiconductor cooperation with India, particularly in power semiconductors, manufacturing technologies, research and skills development, with Tamil Nadu’s automotive and electronics industries offering scope for closer industrial partnerships, Michael Hasper, Consul-General of the Federal Republic of Germany, said on Tuesday.
Addressing the inaugural session of the Semiconductor Summit 2026, organised by SRM Institute of Science and Technology in association with The Hindu, Mr. Hasper said semiconductors had become central to economic competitiveness, technological sovereignty and national security.
“The global semiconductor industry is no longer simply another high-tech industry. It has become a central element of economic competitiveness, technological sovereignty, and national security,” he said.
He said no single country controlled the entire semiconductor value chain. The United States was strong in chip design, Taiwan in contract manufacturing of advanced chips, South Korea in memory technologies and Europe in specialised manufacturing equipment.
This international division of labour had enabled technological progress but had also created strategic dependencies. The challenge was to diversify and strengthen supply chains without losing the advantages of international cooperation, he said.
“The United States is exceptionally strong in chip design. Taiwan dominates the contract manufacturing of the most advanced chips. South Korea leads in important memory technologies. Europe provides some of the world’s most sophisticated manufacturing equipment,” he said.
Four areas for cooperation
Mr. Hasper said Germany and India had established a framework for closer semiconductor cooperation through a joint declaration of intent on a semiconductor ecosystem partnership during German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit to India in January 2026.
The agreement was intended to encourage closer links between companies, research institutions and government agencies, promote investment and support more resilient supply chains, he said.
He identified four areas in which the countries could deepen cooperation, such as chip design and research; power semiconductors and industrial applications; semiconductor manufacturing technologies and supply chains; and skills and talent development.
Germany had strengths in automotive semiconductors, power electronics, sensors and industrial microelectronics. Companies such as Infineon and Bosch were active in semiconductor production, while Zeiss supplied sophisticated optical systems used in semiconductor manufacturing and Trumpf contributed laser technology, he said.
Germany was also home to Silicon Saxony, centred around Dresden, which he described as one of Europe’s important semiconductor clusters.
India, meanwhile, brought engineering and software capabilities, semiconductor design expertise, and a growing market for electronics, electric mobility, renewable energy and industrial automation.
“Germany brings industrial technology and manufacturing expertise. India brings engineering talent, design capabilities, a fast-growing market, and new industrial ambitions,” he said.
Opportunities in T.N.
Mr. Hasper said Tamil Nadu’s automotive companies, engineering industries and expanding electronics sector made it well-placed to develop closer links with German semiconductor companies.
Power semiconductors were particularly important for electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, renewable energy and modern electricity grids. He said German expertise in these areas could complement India’s industrial investments and growing demand.
He cited existing cooperation involving Infineon and India’s National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology on semiconductor education and skills development. He also highlighted cooperation between German applied-research institutions and Indian organisations, expanding research ties between IIT Madras and the Technical University of Dresden, and an Indo-German chip-design workshop held in Chennai earlier in October.
These initiatives could provide a basis for more joint research, industrial applications and workforce training, he said.
Sovereignty without isolation
Mr. Hasper cautioned that efforts to reduce technological dependence should not result in countries isolating themselves from international partners.
“After all, technological sovereignty does not mean technological isolation,” he said.
He said semiconductor manufacturing required large investments, specialised infrastructure, reliable energy and water supplies, sophisticated equipment and highly trained workers. Neither India nor Germany could develop all the necessary capabilities overnight.
He called for cooperation based on mutual benefit, reciprocity and trust, with intellectual property and sensitive technologies appropriately protected.
The two countries should encourage German manufacturers to work with Indian engineering teams, connect German equipment suppliers with India’s emerging semiconductor manufacturing industry and create more opportunities for young researchers to work together, he said.
Mr. Hasper said Tamil Nadu, with its manufacturing base and institutions such as IIT Madras and SRM, offered a suitable setting for strengthening these links.
Published – October 27, 2026 05:46 pm IST
