WEEKLY NEWS UPDATE
Elon Musk’s Starlink gets in-principle govt nod, one-step away from bagging satellite services license
馬斯克的Starlink獲得政府初步批准，距離獲得衛星服務許可證僅一步之遙
India has given nitial approval to Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite communication venture, just ahead of Musk’s planned visit to the country. The telecom ministry’s nod brings Starlink closer to obtaining a license for its services. However, final approval is pending as the telecom minister awaits clearance from the home ministry regarding security concerns, particularly regarding the ownership structure to ensure no stakeholder shares a land border with India. Once these hurdles are cleared, Starlink will be granted the license for global mobile personal communication by satellite (GMPCS) services.
Starlink has been directed by the Indian government to ensure that KYC details and other user information remain within India, aiming to prevent data from flowing outside the country. The telecom ministry’s directive also requires Starlink to submit an undertaking that traffic over Indian waters and airspace terminates only at local gateways, for security reasons. Additionally, the government has stipulated that data beams from Starlink satellites should exclusively land in India, preventing them from reaching foreign shores. This move comes as existing telecom giants like Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio have already established themselves in the satellite communication sector, potentially setting the stage for competition.
Tata-Tesla deal has just gained India a big strategic advantage
塔塔 – 特斯拉交易為印度贏得了一個重大的戰略優勢
The first semiconductor chip from the Tata Group and Taiwan’s Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC) plant in Gujarat’s Dholera is expected to be ready by the end of 2026, with substantial government subsidies covering up to 70% of the project cost. This Dholera unit is slated to become India’s inaugural commercial semiconductor fab, marking a significant milestone in India’s technological advancement.
Prior to the production launch in Dholera, Tata Electronics has reportedly secured a strategic deal with Tesla to procure semiconductor chips for its global operations. While both Tata and Tesla have declined to comment, this potential partnership signifies a proud moment for Tata and a significant milestone for India. By supplying chips to Tesla vehicles worldwide, India stands to establish itself as a prominent player in the semiconductor industry, previously dominated by Taiwan, China, and South Korea. This deal not only highlights India’s technological prowess but also underlines the strategic significance of such collaborations for the country’s future.
小編點評：由塔塔集團和PSMC促成的古吉拉特邦多爾拉的半導體晶片生產，再加上塔塔與特斯拉的戰略合作，象徵著印度科技發展之路的關鍵時刻。這種合作不僅增強了塔塔在全球的存在，還將印度定位為半導體行業中一個強大的競爭者，重塑了技術創新的格局。這也是台灣和印度半導體合作的一個良好例子。
India’s electronic manufacturing expected to increase by 41% by FY26
印度的電子製造預計將在2026才年前將成長41%
India’s electronic manufacturing industry is poised for substantial growth, with a projected annual growth rate of 41% until FY 26, according to a report by Equiris Securities. By FY 26, the electronic manufacturing market in India is expected to surge to Rs 5,980 billion from its 2021 valuation of Rs 1,069 billion. This growth trajectory is attributed to government initiatives aimed at positioning India as a global manufacturing hub for electronics, evolving global manufacturing trends, and the country’s ample supply of skilled labor.
Despite significant progress in manufacturing, India’s reliance on imported laptops, primarily from China, remains a challenge, echoing the country’s dependence on imported olives for olive oil. To address this, Sandeep Narula, Chairman of the Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council, emphasizes the need to develop a domestic semiconductor ecosystem to reduce the current 95% dependency on foreign semiconductors. India’s decision to defer import restrictions on laptops until September 30, 2024, and introduce an import management system is seen as a strategic move to enhance domestic manufacturing capabilities.
小編點評：印度的電子製造業正處於備受矚目的成長階段，預測顯示，受政府倡議和不斷演變的全球趨勢推動，到2026財政年度，將實現年增長率達41％。儘管存在依賴進口筆記型電腦等挑戰，但推遲進口限制並促進國內半導體生態系統的戰略措施，突顯了印度加強製造實力的承諾。
RIL, L&T to invest INR 1 lakh crore investment in green hydrogen
信實工業公司（RIL）和L&T將在綠色能源領域投資1兆盧比。
Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), Larsen and Toubro (L&T), along with energy companies Greenko Group and Welspun New Energy, are poised to establish green hydrogen and green ammonia units at Gujarat’s Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) in Kandla, according to sources familiar with the matter. This project, which is anticipated to attract a cumulative investment of up to INR 1 lakh crore, is set to become one of the largest investments in both the green energy sector and the broader energy infrastructure space in India.
In October of the previous year, the port authority received expressions of interest for 14 land parcels, each spanning 300 acres, with each parcel designated for the production of 1 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of green ammonia. Last month, DPA formally allotted the plots to the four companies involved in the initiative, paving the way for significant advancements in India’s green energy landscape.
小編點評：信實工業公司（RIL）、 Larsen and Toubro（L&T）以及Greenko Group和Welspun New Energy將在古吉拉特邦的迪恩達亞爾港管理局投資1兆盧比，在該地區建立綠色氫氣和綠色氨氣生產廠房。這項計劃涉及14塊土地，旨在實現年產100萬噸綠色氨，標誌著印度在追求可持續能源解決方案方面的巨大飛躍。
Lam Research to provide software valued at Rs 241 crore to upskill Indian semiconductor workforce
Lam Research將提供價值24.1億盧比的軟體，提升印度半導體人才的技能。
US-based semiconductor equipment company Lam Research Corp has announced its intention to donate software worth Rs 241 crore aimed at upskilling the workforce in India to meet the demands of the electronic chips industry. Through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Lam Research Corp plans to facilitate the widespread deployment of Semiverse Solutions to bolster India’s semiconductor manufacturing workforce.
This agreement follows a significant development stemming from a joint statement and fact sheet issued by the governments of the US and India at the White House in June 2023, coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US. By collaborating with key institutions and leveraging cutting-edge software solutions, Lam Research Corp seeks to contribute to the advancement of India’s semiconductor industry, aligning with broader goals of enhancing technological capabilities and fostering innovation within the country.
小編點評：Lam Research Corp與印度半導體任務（ISM）和印度科學理工學院（IISc）合作，捐贈價值24.1億盧比的軟體，彰顯了其致力於提升印度半導體人才技能的承諾。這項舉措是在美印聯合聲明之後的合作努力所推動的，體現了推進印度半導體行業技術能力和促進創新的共同願景。
Moody’s continues to give India a stable outlook
穆迪繼續給予印度穩定成長的展望。
Moody’s maintained a stable outlook for the government of India, affirming its long-term and short-term ratings at Baa3 and P-3, respectively. This decision reflects confidence in India’s fiscal trajectory, with expectations of gradual improvement in fiscal metrics amidst robust growth prospects compared to its peers. Despite challenges such as high government debt and weak debt affordability, Moody’s underscores India’s strengths, including its large and diversified economy, stable domestic financing base for government debt, and ongoing infrastructure development and digitalization efforts.
Following a series of strong growth numbers in the first three quarters of the financial year 2023-24, Moody’s has revised India’s real GDP growth projection to 8% for the full year, with expectations of sustained growth well above 6% over the next two fiscal years. The rating agency highlights India’s resilience and emergence from the pandemic, driven by factors like infrastructure development, digitalization, and financial system rehabilitation. Moody’s also anticipates India’s economic growth to outpace that of other emerging market G20 peers in 2024-25, propelled by sustained domestic demand momentum.
小編點評：穆迪信評公司決定維持對印度穩定的展望，並肯定了其對長期和短期評級的評級，這反映了對印度財政軌跡和強勁增長前景的信心。儘管面臨著高政府債務等挑戰，穆迪強調了印度的優勢，包括其龐大而多樣化的經濟、穩定的國內融資基礎以及正在進行的基礎設施和數位化努力。根據修訂後的本財政年度8%的GDP成長預測以及未來幾年持續成長超過6%的預期，穆迪預計印度將在基礎設施發展和持續國內需求等因素驅動下，保持經濟韌性並在新興市場同行中表現優異。