Intel unveils first Made-in-India chip

The world's largest chipmaker, Intel, on Tuesday unveiled its latest microprocessor for servers,
designed entirely by its Bangalore team and developed in a record two years. The Intel R&D centre in Bangalore designed the Xeon 7400 series processor and it marked the first time that work on the 45 nanometre technology was taken up by the company outside its US home base. The six-core microprocessor is based on Intel's x86 architecture.
A 300-member team from Bangalore undertook the work with support from units in the US and Costa Rica,Intel India president Praveen Vishakantaiah said.Intel's Bangalore R&D operations, which started a decade ago, have grown to become one of the largest centres outside the US. Besides the six-core microprocessor, the India R&D team has made important contributions to the teraflop and quad-core Xeon processor.Mr Vishakantaiah described it as a validation of the Bangalore operations and termed the country as a strategic destination as Intel India continues its focus on high-end technology development. The company said that upgradation costs in moving to the new server chips would be limited as the existing technology platform would support its new microprocessor. R Ravichandran, South Asia sales director Intel said the
new processor would allow a10-fold reduction in power consumption while substantially increasing performance.

India-Research and Development Hub

"Today India has become one of the strongest in the world in terms of scientific manpower in capability and maturity. Hence, we are in a position not only to understand the technologies that we may have to borrow, but also to create our own technologies with extensive scientific inputs of indigenous origin. It is important for India to put all her acts together to become a continuous innovator and creator of science and technology intensive products". Dr. A PJ Abdul Kalam

"We take satisfaction from the fact that over 100 global companies have come to India to set up R&D Centres, affirming the intellectual capital of our scientific and engineering community. Science must grapple with the key challenges facing the country today." Dr. Manmohan Singh

"A phenomenal transformation in the attitude and approach to R&D in industry has taken place. From a 'back seat' position a mere ten years ago, R&D in Indian industry is now in the 'front seat' of corporate strategy. In several sectors, business driven research has given way to research driven business." Mr. Kapil Sibal

"India is one of the hotspots for innovation of low cost and high quality products and services. Now we can enter the complex high technology areas." Dr. R. Chidambaram

"The current S&T ecology does not seem to provide either physical income with career opportunities matching other service sectors or psychic income derived from uninhibited pursuits of passion with science." Dr. T Ramasami

"The challenge was how to continue to tap the incredible dynamism of global R&D so that Indian institutions and companies could assume the leadership in creating high-wage jobs and building new industries" Dr. R A Mashelkar