Semiconductor Fabrication Plant (Shakti) – Key Points

• Focus: Advanced sensing, communications, and high-voltage power electronics.
• Production: Chips for military hardware and critical telecom networks.
• Manufacturing: Infrared, gallium nitride, and silicon carbide semiconductors.
• Support: India Semiconductor Mission, Strategic Technology Partnership (Bharat Semi, 3rdiTech, US Space Force).
• Significance: First US-India military tech partnership, akin to the civil nuclear deal.
• Impact: Reduces $1 billion in annual semiconductor imports; benefits telecom, railways, and green energy sectors.

Semiconductors Overview

• Properties: Conduct electricity under certain conditions, between conductors and insulators.
• Materials: Primarily silicon or germanium; doping alters conductivity.

• Applications: Used in transistors, solar cells, LEDs, and integrated circuits.

India-US Bilateral Relations

• Trade Growth: Increased by 72% (2017-23).
• FDI: US contributed 18% of India’s FDI (2021-22).
• Defense Cooperation: Agreements: LEMOA (2016), COMCASA (2018), BECA (2020).
• Space Cooperation: Artemis Accords, Civil Space Joint Working Group.
• Multilateral Cooperation: Active in UN, G20, ASEAN, IMF, World Bank, WTO.
• Quad Partnership: Indo-Pacific collaboration with US, Australia, and Japan.

Nuclear Cooperation

• Civil Nuclear Deal (2005): Separation of civil and military nuclear facilities; civil under IAEA safeguards; US provides full nuclear cooperation.