Zoho suspends $700 million chipmaking plan in latest setback for India: Report
New Delhi: Indian software firm Zoho has reportedly suspended its $700 million plan to foray into chip manufacturing, dealing another blow to the Indian government’s ambitious semiconductor plans.
Zoho struggled to find the right technology partner required to advise on the complex chipmaking processes, news agency Reuters quoted its sources as saying.
Sridhar Vembu, Chief Scientist at Zoho, acknowledged the project's capital-intensive nature and emphasised the need for government support. In a statement on social media platform X, Vembu stated, “We wanted to be absolutely sure of the technology path before we took taxpayer money. We did not have that confidence in the technology, so our board decided to shelve the idea for the time being, until we find a better technological approach."
The development comes just days after the Adani Group reportedly paused talks with Israel’s Tower Semiconductor for a proposed $10 billion chip project, citing strategic and commercial concerns.
India does not have a single operational chipmaking facility. The shelving of Zoho’s plan marks yet another setback to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 'Make in India' initiative, which aims to promote the country’s semiconductor industry.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
