Intel To Play A Vital Role In Boosting Laptop Manufacturing In India

Intel is on the verge of teaming up with 8 EMS (Electronics Manufacturing Services) companies and ODMs (Original Design Manufacturers) in a bid to bolster the laptop manufacturing industry in India.

The chip maker said it will play a vital role in laying the foundation for the industry by providing technological and operational insights.

This also emphasises the company's dedication to the Make in India initiative. Intel will be collaborating with a slew of companies, including VVDN Technologies Private Ltd., Syrma SGS Technology Ltd and Smile Electronics Ltd.

Aside from this, Intel will work with Panache Digilife Ltd, Optiemus Electronics Ltd, Kaynes Technology India Ltd, Dixon Technologies India Ltd and Bhagwati Products Ltd. It is worth noting that some of these companies will be making their first foray into laptop manufacturing.

So, it is safe to say that partnering with Intel will be important for them. As part of this collaboration, Intel will facilitate the production of entry-level laptops in India by sharing its expertise.

These laptops will reportedly utilise SMT lines, which allude to a manufacturing process where electronic components are assembled onto PCBs (printed circuit boards).

Intel to provide key technological, operational insights

Moreover, Intel will share its expertise to help set up a quality control process for components. The company will also be involved in the benchmarking process of the finished products.

Intel also provided support for ODMs spanning both SKD (Semi Knocked Down) and CKD (Completely Knocked Down) processes.

Vice President and Managing Director, India region, Intel, Santhosh Viswanathan said: "The collaboration between Intel and the Indian manufacturing ecosystem marks a pivotal moment for the Indian electronics industry."

The top executive pointed out that Intel has been the fundamental enabler of multiple electronic ecosystems around the world. "We are excited about fueling the same in India," he added.

"Bringing in Intel's technology-related investments and global system supply chain ecosystem knowledge exemplifies our dedication to fostering electronic manufacturing capabilities in India," Viswanathan noted.

He also said that "by enabling the laptop manufacturing process from surface mount technology assembly to finished product – we are not only meeting the demands of the Make in India initiative but also contributing to the technological progress of the nation".

"I'm very bullish about the fact that high-quality products can be built and made in India where we want to enable that OEMs ecosystem, we want to enable companies that can come and build products," he also told Business Line.

Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajeev Chandrasekhar also voiced his approval of the Indian companies' collaboration with Intel.

Chandrasekhar pointed out that it aligned with Prime Minister, Narendra Modi's vision to propel India's Digital Economy to $1 Trillion (about £738.4 billion) and ensure the electronics manufacturing ecosystem contributes $300 billion (about £221 billion) by 2025-26.

In the meantime, Intel is gearing up to host the India Tech Ecosystem Summit. During the event, which is slated to take place later this month, local manufacturers will showcase an impressive array of devices that are made in India.

While the companies will initially offer entry-level devices, they are expected to start providing more premium products as soon as the foundation is laid out.

Reportedly, Intel is also working on ChatGPT-like apps for its customers. As if that weren't enough, the popular chip maker recently hinted at the existence of Microsoft's next-gen operating system, possibly Windows 12.