TI mulls new initiatives in India

Engibous said TI was the first major semiconductor company to set up a research and development center in India, bringing in its wake almost every single other major tech company into the country.

However, he would not elaborate on the expansion plans. About 1,500 engineers already work for TI in India, based in Bangalore.

India’s current position as a location of choice for high-tech work has paralleled the growth of TI’s operations here. “Twenty years ago, this nation’s role in electronics and IT primarily was as an exporter of engineers,” Engibous said.

TI started in India with developing EDA tools and support global projects but now does leading-edge design and development out of its base here.

Engibous also announced the availability of its single-chip technology for mobile phones during his visit, and participated in a live phone call from India to Europe using a handset incorporating the device.

The device, announced late last year, will play a major part in TI’s strategy for the emerging handsets and ultra low cost handsets market.

The part was initially developed for GSM/GPRS handsets but will pave the way for future single-chip solutions for other air interfaces.

The first phone based on the solution - developed at TI India – will be available in September from Indian electronics company BPL Ltd. while another phone designed and developed by another Indian firm, Quasar Innovations Pvt. Ltd., will be available later.