Beyond the Fab

PIB Backgrounder Beyond the Fab How Dholera Is Building the Ecosystem Around India’s Semiconductor Ambition

Posted On: 28 SEP 2026 3:53PM by PIB Delhi Setting the Context A semiconductor manufacturing facility is only one part of what it takes to build a semiconductor hub.

Behind the clean rooms, advanced equipment and production lines lies a wider ecosystem of hospitals, schools, housing, emergency services and commercial infrastructure that enables companies and their workforce to operate over the long term.

At Dholera in Gujarat, this broader ecosystem is taking shape alongside the development of the semiconductor manufacturing cluster.

Gujarat has emerged as a major centre of India’s semiconductor expansion, with six of the 12 semiconductor manufacturing projects approved under Semicon India 1.0 located in the State. The projects, with cumulative investment commitments of more than ₹1.64 lakh crore nationally, span semiconductor fabrication, compound semiconductor and display technologies, and advanced packaging.

The scale of these investments is also driving a parallel development: the creation of an industrial township equipped to support the people and businesses that will become part of the semiconductor ecosystem.During a panel discussion on Investment Facilitation and Ease of Doing Business at SEMICON India 2026, Neha Kumari, IAS, Mission Director, Gujarat State Electronics Mission (GSEM), Gandhinagar, outlined how Dholera is building this supporting infrastructure alongside the industrial cluster.Building what comes after the fab Building what comes after the fab Healthcare is among the key components of this ecosystem. A 200-bed hospital is under construction at Dholera, with completion targeted by December 2026. The facility is expected to be managed by the Government of Gujarat. Alongside the physical infrastructure, work is also underway on emergency Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and coordination mechanisms with relevant agencies.

Education is another important element. A school following the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum is being developed in the township. The building is ready, with the project targeted for completion around October 2026. Discussions are also underway with private players for operating the school.

For professionals and investors working in the emerging industrial cluster, accommodation is being developed as well. A dedicated investor accommodation facility is targeted for completion by September- end 2026, adding to the township’s capacity to host people working in the region.

Other civic infrastructure is progressing in parallel. A fire station has been completed, while a food court was completed in July 2026. Residential and commercial developments are also underway, with completion projected between mid-2027 and the end of 2027.

A Tent City has been completed, with vendors in the final stages of obtaining approvals to begin operations, while a hotel is currently under construction.From industrial project to industrial ecosystem The developments point to a broader shift in how large industrial investments are being planned. A semiconductor facility requires not only sophisticated manufacturing infrastructure but also an environment that can support a specialised workforce and the families that accompany it.

For Dholera, this means developing the social and physical infrastructure around the industrial cluster at the same time as manufacturing capabilities are being established.

Significant activity has been taking place on the ground over the past one-and-a-half to two years, reflecting the pace at which Dholera’s supporting infrastructure is being developed alongside the semiconductor project.

The implication of this approach extends beyond individual facilities. Hospitals provide healthcare, schools support families, accommodation serves incoming professionals and investors, while emergency and commercial infrastructure contributes to the functioning of an industrial township.

With six semiconductor manufacturing projects located in Gujarat, the State is becoming an important part of India’s semiconductor manufacturing journey. At Dholera, that journey is being accompanied by the creation of the ecosystem around the factory floor.

The emerging model is therefore about more than building a semiconductor fab. It is about creating an integrated industrial destination - one where manufacturing, infrastructure and everyday life can develop together, providing the foundation needed to support India’s semiconductor ambitions at scale.

Reference:

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