WEF Davos 2026: PM’s ‘grand design’ brought Tata’s semiconductor plant to Assam, says CM Himanta Sarma
Davos 2026: The Chief Minister added that there are many detractors who have said the plant will pollute the air and the land, but the people of Assam, who suffered three decades of insurgency, have welcomed the semiconductor facility.
- Jan 22, 2026,
- Updated Jan 22, 2026 4:33 PM IST
Establishing a semiconductor plant in Assam might be an unusual call for a conglomerate, but it was always part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “grand design”, said Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos.
Speaking to Business Today, Sarma said he remained in touch with Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran for years before the group decided to establish Tata Electronics’ Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facility in Assam’s Jagiroad.
“When I assumed the office of the chief minister, the Prime Minister suggested that I be in touch with the Tata Group. I think it was his plan to set up that plant in Assam itself. He told me to be in touch with Mr Chandrasekaran, which was then repeated by the Finance Minister and the Home Minister. So, from 2020 to 2024, I remained in touch with Mr Chandrasekaran, and interacted on many occasions. And one fine day, he called me to say that they are setting up the plant in Assam. The Prime Minister called me to say it is not only for Assam but for the entire Northeastern region. That plant came up because of the grand design of the Prime Minister. I think he has many such designs for Assam and the semiconductor plant is one of those,” said Sarma.
The Chief Minister added that there are many detractors who have said the plant will pollute the air and the land, but the people of Assam, who suffered three decades of insurgency, have welcomed the semiconductor facility. “I think they have talked enough about guns, grenades, AK47s, and now we are discussing urea, ammonia, sustainable aviation fuel, new energy, green energy, semiconductor, and AI. People as a whole are enjoying this stage,” he said.
Sarma added that Assam has gained momentum when it comes to its economy and the GDP. He said the central government’s ‘Act East’ policy has brought economic vibrancy to the Northeast. “If you see, the cement consumption in the Northeastern region is going up by 20 per cent every year. The biggest hydrocarbon potential of India is getting unveiled in our neighbouring state of Arunachal Pradesh. The semiconductor story of India is gaining ground from Assam. Today we are a power surplus state. India is discovering its biggest rare earth material in the Northeastern region. Lot of things are happening in the Northeast and it is important that the investors recognise the potential of the region,” he said.
He also spoke about the ease of doing business in India and the single window clearances in the state, and compared it with Maharashtra. Logjams and red tape happen in the big states, he said. "Because we do not have a lot of investors walking in, whoever walks in gets royal treatment. They get clearances within 15 days, the chief minister is pursuing them, calling them every morning. Unlike Maharashtra that is dealing with thousands of proposals, I am dealing with only maybe a hundred. So these are not issues for me,” he said.
Watch the conversation here:
Establishing a semiconductor plant in Assam might be an unusual call for a conglomerate, but it was always part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “grand design”, said Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos.
Speaking to Business Today, Sarma said he remained in touch with Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran for years before the group decided to establish Tata Electronics’ Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facility in Assam’s Jagiroad.
“When I assumed the office of the chief minister, the Prime Minister suggested that I be in touch with the Tata Group. I think it was his plan to set up that plant in Assam itself. He told me to be in touch with Mr Chandrasekaran, which was then repeated by the Finance Minister and the Home Minister. So, from 2020 to 2024, I remained in touch with Mr Chandrasekaran, and interacted on many occasions. And one fine day, he called me to say that they are setting up the plant in Assam. The Prime Minister called me to say it is not only for Assam but for the entire Northeastern region. That plant came up because of the grand design of the Prime Minister. I think he has many such designs for Assam and the semiconductor plant is one of those,” said Sarma.
The Chief Minister added that there are many detractors who have said the plant will pollute the air and the land, but the people of Assam, who suffered three decades of insurgency, have welcomed the semiconductor facility. “I think they have talked enough about guns, grenades, AK47s, and now we are discussing urea, ammonia, sustainable aviation fuel, new energy, green energy, semiconductor, and AI. People as a whole are enjoying this stage,” he said.
Sarma added that Assam has gained momentum when it comes to its economy and the GDP. He said the central government’s ‘Act East’ policy has brought economic vibrancy to the Northeast. “If you see, the cement consumption in the Northeastern region is going up by 20 per cent every year. The biggest hydrocarbon potential of India is getting unveiled in our neighbouring state of Arunachal Pradesh. The semiconductor story of India is gaining ground from Assam. Today we are a power surplus state. India is discovering its biggest rare earth material in the Northeastern region. Lot of things are happening in the Northeast and it is important that the investors recognise the potential of the region,” he said.
He also spoke about the ease of doing business in India and the single window clearances in the state, and compared it with Maharashtra. Logjams and red tape happen in the big states, he said. "Because we do not have a lot of investors walking in, whoever walks in gets royal treatment. They get clearances within 15 days, the chief minister is pursuing them, calling them every morning. Unlike Maharashtra that is dealing with thousands of proposals, I am dealing with only maybe a hundred. So these are not issues for me,” he said.
Watch the conversation here: