‘Fabs will lead to a sea change in tech arena’

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or we will falter, and finally there will be foreign companies coming in. New entrants like us, who ventured into high-tech early on our own have developed a lot of skills. We are already operating a semiconductor fab. The first one is fully operational in our SEZ in Greater Noida. The second one that we are betting on is the thin-film one. This is photovoltaics-converting the sun’s rays into some useful energy, or electricity. We have done this without any external help, using our own technology, gathered over the past 10 years into the first integrated, totally automated manufacturing line. We sell these panels worldwide. The silicon wafer is a very expensive item and it is in great shortage. We have tied up for our silicon needs from various places for the next five years. The power cost from this technology, at 35 cents a watt, will come down to 18 cents in a couple of years.

Has the thin-film fab gone into production?

Not in commercial production yet. It will take three-four months to stabilise. The idea is that, as your capex comes down, your cost of production of power comes down, too. By 2010, we hope to bring it further down to 11 cents, which is grid parity. Grid prices will increase always, but even if you take today’s prices, they will come down to those levels. Besides, there are various other technologies in photovoltaics, which no one else in India is following, but we are.

So, you think that fabs will be a success story and eventually help India?

India has a large market and the moment we enter the high technology arena, the culture of hi-tech will follow. There is a culture behind the whole thing. The culture and the discipline have to be there. So, the answer to your question is, yes. In five-seven years, you will see a sea change in India in the electronics high technology manufacturing. A large number of factories will come up around the fabs forming the entire ecosystem, if all the promises are kept and huge factories come into production. I am certain that the applications are from very serious players, and there are going to be high-tech factories in India.

You have entered into yet another area?