'Ratan Tata's deep bond with Assam': Tata Sons chairman N. Chandrasekaran reflects on Tata Group's connect with North East

Tata Sons chairman N. Chandrasekaran on Tuesday said that Assam holds a very special place in the heart of the Tata group, highlighting that this relationship has been nurtured over several decades.

“It is a relationship that has been nurtured over several decades and strengthened by our shared commitment to progress and development of India’s North East. This connection is also deeply personal for us, especially because of the profound affection and respect Shri Ratan Tata ji had for the state of Assam,” Chandrasekaran said at the Advantage Assam 2.0 investment summit.

In March 2024, Ratan Tata had said that the Tata group will make Assam a major player in sophisticated semiconductors. "This new development will put Assam on the global map," he had said.

Chandrasekaran today announced a fresh ₹27,000 crore investment for setting up an electronics factory in the state. “We will invest in another large manufacturing facility in electronics, urban and mobile technology in Assam in the coming five years which will have similar investment and will create 30,000 jobs,” he said.

The Tata group has a very large, long and significant presence spanning diverse sectors in Assam. “We already employ more than 55,000 people in the state. The Tata trusts in partnership with the government of Assam has 17 cancer hospitals network. The Tata Consumer Company has 21 assets and 20 manufacturing and packing factories in the state and is committed to the success of the tea industry in the state,” said Chandrasekaran.

Tata Power already has several thousands of rooftop solar, thousands of solar pumps and more than 300 EV charging stations in the state. TCS (Tata Consultancy Services) has its training and development centre for more than 10 years and has partnered with the state of Assam for automating the state administration’s tax systems, he said.

India Hotels has a couple of hotels here and has already signed up to expand into five more iconic hotels. “Tata Motors and Tata Steel, and all our retail companies – Westside, Croma, BigBasket, Titan Tanishq and many other stores have a very strong presence already and are growing rapidly,” said Chandrasekaran.

However, 2024 was the most defining year for the relationship between the Tata group and the state of Assam. “Our new company Tata Electronics announced the establishment of India’s first indigenous semiconductor assembly and test facility in Assam, putting the state on the map of global semiconductor industry and supply chain. This is just the beginning,” said the Tata Sons chairman.

“Semiconductor chips, the backbone of modern society. Globalisation as we know today would not exist without semiconductors and the electronics products that they make possible. Today, countries are recognising how self-sufficiency in semiconductors is a matter of nation security. Tata Electronics facility is being set up with an investment of ₹27,000 crore and will produce 48 million chips per day. It will be the largest semiconductor chip packaging facility in India. It will create 30,000 jobs,” he said.

“We are committed to establish one of country’s first semiconductor manufacturing clusters in Assam. This will pave the way for us to bring and set up a cluster of small, medium and large size companies. This factory will bring many global companies and top talent from around the world to Assam. Global customers will come from areas of automotive, communication, technology, logistics and electronics and many other sectors,” said Chandrasekaran.

“Indian design and product companies are looking forward to this factory to realise their dream of Make in India...One day, the cars that you drive. The mobile phone that you use. The television that watch would be powered by the chips packaged in Assam,” he said.

The Tata group plans to skill 5,000 people each year in semiconductors.