Wipro Enterprises eyes entry into India’s semicon sector

Wipro Enterprises, the privately held arm of the Wipro group controlled by Azim Premji’s family, is exploring an entry into semiconductor manufacturing through the outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) segment, as Indian conglomerates increasingly move to tap opportunities in the country’s nascent chip ecosystem.

People familiar with the discussions said the company is evaluating the feasibility of setting up a semiconductor assembly and testing facility, though the plan remains at an early stage and would require a global technology partner before moving forward.

The OSAT route — which involves packaging and testing chips after they are manufactured at wafer fabrication plants — is widely seen as a relatively lower-cost entry point into semiconductor manufacturing compared with building full-scale fabrication plants that require investments of tens of billions of dollars.

Wipro Enterprises’ interest in the segment comes as India pushes to develop a domestic semiconductor supply chain under the government’s India Semiconductor Mission, which offers incentives to companies across the chip value chain.

The move would place the company alongside several Indian conglomerates that have recently announced semiconductor investments. The HCL Group has partnered with global players to build a ₹3,700-crore OSAT facility in Uttar Pradesh, while the Tata Group has announced multi-billion-dollar investments in semiconductor fabrication and assembly plants as part of India’s broader chip manufacturing ambitions.

Wipro Enterprises has already begun expanding its presence in electronics and materials through its infrastructure engineering arm, which has invested in electronic materials used in printed circuit boards, a key component in the electronics manufacturing ecosystem.

Industry analysts say new entrants into semiconductor assembly will need to secure strong technology partnerships and global customer relationships to scale operations, given the highly specialised nature of chip packaging and testing.

Nonetheless, the growing interest from large Indian conglomerates underscores rising confidence in India’s semiconductor ambitions, particularly as global technology companies look to diversify supply chains beyond traditional manufacturing hubs in East Asia. The push is also being driven by surging demand for chips across fast-growing sectors such as artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, telecommunications and consumer electronics, turning semiconductors into a strategic pillar of future industrial growth.