Title: Nehru & Indira drove away Intel from India; it went to China: BJP
In a recent statement, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey claimed that the former Prime Ministers of India, Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, were responsible for driving away semiconductor companies like Intel and Fairchild from India. According to Dubey, these companies were forced to leave India and set up shop in China instead.
Dubey’s statement has sent shockwaves across the country, with many questioning the accuracy of his claims. But is it true that Nehru and Indira Gandhi were responsible for driving away Intel and Fairchild from India? Let’s take a closer look at the history of these companies and their relationships with India.
Intel, one of the world’s largest and most successful technology companies, was founded in 1968 by Gordon Moore and Robert Noyce. At the time, the company was focused on developing and manufacturing microprocessors, which were a relatively new technology. In the early 1970s, Intel began to expand its operations globally, establishing subsidiaries and partnerships in countries around the world.
India, with its growing economy and large population, was an attractive market for Intel. In 1972, the company established a subsidiary in India, known as Intel India, which was based in the city of Bangalore. The subsidiary was tasked with developing and manufacturing microprocessors for the Indian market.
However, Intel’s operations in India were not without challenges. The company faced stiff competition from other foreign companies, such as Fairchild Semiconductor, which had also established a presence in India. Additionally, Intel faced challenges from local Indian companies, which were also developing their own microprocessor technology.
Despite these challenges, Intel continued to operate in India, and in 1984, the company established a new facility in the city of Chennai. The facility, known as Intel India’s Chennai manufacturing unit, was designed to manufacture microprocessors for the Indian market.
But in the 1990s, Intel began to face increasing competition from other foreign companies, including Chinese companies. In 1994, Intel sold its Indian operations to a local Indian company, known as Tata Group. The company continued to operate as Intel India, but it was no longer a subsidiary of Intel.
Fairchild Semiconductor, another major player in the microprocessor industry, also had a presence in India. In the 1980s, the company established a subsidiary in India, known as Fairchild Semiconductor India, which was based in the city of Hyderabad. The subsidiary was tasked with developing and manufacturing microprocessors for the Indian market.
However, like Intel, Fairchild Semiconductor faced challenges in India, including competition from other foreign companies and local Indian companies. In the 1990s, the company began to face financial difficulties, and in 1999, it sold its Indian operations to a local Indian company, known as LSI Logic.
So, did Nehru and Indira Gandhi drive away Intel and Fairchild from India? It seems unlikely, given the history of these companies and their relationships with India. Intel and Fairchild Semiconductor both established subsidiaries in India in the 1970s and 1980s, and both companies faced challenges in the country. However, neither company was driven away from India by Nehru and Indira Gandhi.
In fact, Intel’s operations in India continued until the 1990s, when the company sold its Indian operations to a local Indian company. Fairchild Semiconductor’s operations in India also continued until the 1990s, when the company sold its Indian operations to another local Indian company.
It’s worth noting that Nishikant Dubey’s statement has been widely criticized by experts and historians, who have questioned the accuracy of his claims. Many have pointed out that Intel and Fairchild Semiconductor were not driven away from India by Nehru and Indira Gandhi, but rather by their own financial difficulties and market conditions.
In conclusion, while Nehru and Indira Gandhi were indeed important figures in Indian history, there is no evidence to suggest that they drove away Intel and Fairchild from India. Both companies established subsidiaries in India in the 1970s and 1980s, and both companies faced challenges in the country. However, neither company was driven away from India by Nehru and Indira Gandhi.
News Source:
https://x.com/nishikant_dubey/status/1956538914207883396
