VOL XXIV, ISSUE 11

15 June 2023

Industry Scan

   INDUSTRY  SCAN                                                                           

General

G7 wants to tame China’s economic coercion through semiconductor tech. India could be a key ally

China suspended imports of these three items from Lithuania in May 2022 after the Baltic country allowed Taiwan to open a de-facto embassy in the country. The result? Taiwan and Lithuania signed a deal on semiconductor technology sharing in 2023. China’s ‘economic coercion’ — the way it imposed conditions on Lithuania — is out in the open. The discourse against China’s economic coercion is developing and the G7 is planning to take steps to answer China’s coercive stance. At the centre of G7’s key strategy to counter China are semiconductor chips.

Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/, June 13, 2023

South Korea: Former Samsung Executive Arrested For Stealing Trade Secrets To Build Copycat Semiconductor Chip Factory in China

South Korean prosecutors today announced that a former senior executive of Samsung Electronics has been arrested and indicted for stealing the chip behemoth's trade secrets to build a copycat chip factory in China. According to the Suwon District Prosecutors Office, the 65-year-old former executive (whose name has not been disclosed) was charged with violating the industrial technology protection and unfair competition prevention laws. The arrested executive also had a stint with SK Hynix, another memory chipmaker.

Source: https://swarajyamag.com/, June 12, 2023

Why Taiwan Increased Its Chip Export To The US For A Consecutive 26 Months

Flouting the slump in the international semiconductor market, Taiwan increased its export of chips to the US for a consecutive 26 months. According to a Bloomberg report, there is an escalation of 9 percent in terms of the US buying Taiwanese chips, while a survey from the Ministry of Finance in Taipei revealed that shipments to Hong Kong and China reduced to 14.3 percent. Because of this scenario, there is an 8 percent decline in the overall exports of Taiwanese chips, while a month back, it was 7.1 percent. Taipei’s Finance Ministry also added that back in May, the island country shipped around $91 million worth of semiconductor machineries and equipment to Hong Kong and China, which is down to 44.2 percent compared to the previous year. On the other hand, exports of gear to the US increased by 59.3 percent.

Source: https://circuitdigest.com/, June 12, 2023

How Japan’s New Semiconductor Export Restrictions Putting China At Severe Risk

Back in March, Japan announced a severe restriction on exporting 23 kinds of sophisticated semiconductor manufacturing equipment to China following the footsteps of Netherlands and the US. According to the experts, this strategic move will hurt its long-time opponent amid the ongoing geopolitical scuffles in the global semiconductor industry. Media reports stated that these restrictions are likely to commence from the month of July. Industry sources further revealed that these grave strategies have been unleashed to shatter China’s dream of spearheading the semiconductor industry. South China Morning Post mentioned that these selected items are crucial for semiconductor manufacturing and therefore they have been targeted. Semiconductors, which are now considered the brain of modern electronics have become a colossal battleground between China and the US in regards to access to important technologies and concerns of national security.

Source: https://circuitdigest.com/, June 06, 2023

TOP

Information Technology

For IT firms, age does matter: Only 1-2.5% employees in 50+ age group

Those over 50 years of age and still working in a domestic information technology (IT) company, should consider themselves lucky — really lucky — as they are part of just 1-2.5% of the company’s total employee base. Consider the data on the age profile of employees at the India offices of IT companies. According to the country’s largest IT firm Tata Consultancy Services’ FY23 annual report, only 1.1% of employees on its rolls are in the 50 years+ bracket. In contrast, 52.69% of employees are below the age of 30. A similar trend is observed at Infosys, the country’s second-largest IT firm. An ICICI Securities report states that around 2.5% of the company’s employees globally are above the age of 50, while 59.6% are below 30.

Source: by Sameer Ranjan Bakshi, https://www.financialexpress.com/, June 14, 2023

India for a league of nations to build digital public infrastructure

India has mooted the concept of a partnership between like-minded countries to work together on digital public infrastructure (DPI) that can be used by everyone. Under the proposed alliance, India will also work with other countries to create a global framework for cybersecurity principles and laws, he said. "I think it is important for governments to formally recognize that security threats hamper innovation, trust in essential services, and consumer confidence," Chandrasekhar said.

Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/, June 13, 2023

Cowin portal completely safe, reports of breach mischievous in nature, says Govt

The Centre on Monday assured people that adequate security measures were in place for the CoWIN application, the country’s foremost Covid-19 vaccination platform, and said that the reports of data breach were “without any basis and mischievous in nature”. The Union ministry of health and family welfare said that it had requested CERT-In to look into the issue and submit a report. “The CoWIN portal is completely safe with adequate safeguards for data privacy. “There are reports alleging breach of data from the CoWIN portal of the Union health ministry, which is repository of all data of beneficiaries who have been vaccinated against Covid-19. It is clarified that all such reports are without any basis and mischievous in nature.

Source: ByDeeksha Bhardwaj, https://www.hindustantimes.com/, June 12, 2023

India denies threatening Twitter with shutdown

India on Tuesday denied claims it had threatened to shut down Twitter inside the country if it did not block accounts critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. Former chief executive Jack Dorsey said Monday that the platform he founded had come under sustained pressure from Indian officials during his tenure. Dorsey told YouTube chat show Breaking Points that authorities had threatened to "shut down Twitter in India" as well as raid the homes of its employees, unless his company yielded to their demands. Indian information technology minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar responded Tuesday that Dorsey's claim was an "outright lie", while also accusing Twitter of repeated violations of local laws.

Source: https://gulfnews.com/, June 13, 2023

 TOP

Telecom

Telcos push for secure smart meters with licensed spectrum

Telecom companies have asked the telecom and power ministries to only permit the use of licensed spectrum and smart meters that meet the government’s trusted sources criteria for secure deployment in smart grids, warning that unlicensed spectrum and unregulated meters may pose security risks. Telcos argued that the lack of testing, monitoring, and regulation of smart meters could make smart grid systems under the National Smart Grid Mission vulnerable to hacking and operational disruptions. DoT (department of telecom) should immediately recommend to the power ministry to use the licensed spectrum bands and the infrastructure created under the telecom licence for advanced metering infrastructure.

Source: By Gulveen Aulakh, https://www.livemint.com/, June 11, 2023

Top telcos slashed 85,000 jobs in 2022: Report

The top 20 tier-1 telecom operators in North America and Western Europe, including AT&T, Deutsche Telekom and Telefonica, cumulatively slashed 85,000 jobs in 2022 without replacing hem, a trend that has been continuing since 2015, US-based telecom publication Light Reading reported. AT&T has the highest reduction in its workforce – from 268,220 in 2018 to 162,900 in 2022. Headcount at British telecoms group BT fell from 106,742 to 97,148 in the same period while that of T-Mobile US increased from 52,000 in 2018 to 75,000 in 2020, but fell to 71,000 in 2022. Verizon's employee count declined from 144,500 in 2018 to 117,100 in 2022. Vodafone remained relatively resilient with its manpower shrinking from 98,996 to 98,103, as per the report.

Source: https://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/, June 14, 2023

Samsung Unveils State-of-the-Art Networks Innovation Center in Texas

Samsung has unveiled its latest venture in network innovation with the opening of the Samsung Networks Innovation Center in Plano, Texas. This state-of-the-art facility serves as a collaborative space for customers and partners to explore and experience Samsung's cutting-edge network offerings and gain insights into advanced network technologies. The center is designed to provide visitors with a hands-on experience of Samsung's network products. It features interactive use cases that showcase how Samsung's solutions can address critical network challenges.

Source: By TANAY SINGH THAKUR , https://telecomtalk.info/, June 14, 2023

BSNL to Launch 4G Services in Thoothukudi District with Indigenous Technology

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), a state-run telecom operator, is preparing to introduce4G services in Thoothukudi district in the near future. In a significant move towards indigenous technology, BSNL has partnered with Tata Consultancy Service (TCS), Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT), and TEJAS Networks to adopt a native 4G technology for this endeavour. According to a report by TheHindu, BSNL will upgrade all 222 existing towers in the Thoothukudi Operational Area to 4G, utilising 10 MHz spectrum. What sets this technological upgrade apart is that the hardware supplied for the towers will possess built-in 5G capability, allowing for future software upgrades to seamlessly transition to 5G technology.

Source: https://telecomtalk.info/, June 14, 2023

 TOP

EV’s & Auto Electronics

Japan's Toyota announces battery electric vehicle initiatives

Toyota plans to make an all solid-state battery as part of its ambitious plans for battery electric vehicles, the company said on June 13 , amid mounting criticism Japan’s top automaker needs to do more to fight climate change. Toyota Motor Corporation aims for a commercial solid-state battery by as soon as 2027. Charging time, one of the main drawbacks of electric vehicles (EVs), will get shortened to 10 minutes or less, the company said in a statement. EV owners usually have charging stations in their homes and keep their cars plugged in overnight to recharge. That’s one of the main reasons Toyota has long insisted that hybrids are a better solution. A hybrid recharges as the car runs.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/, June 13, 2023

Electric vehicles are offering global OEMS a second chance in India

India’s transition to electric vehicles is giving automakers whose conventional gasoline cars have failed to make a mark a second chance. High taxes, price-conscious consumers and tricky logistical issues have made it tough for many foreign carmakers to thrive in one of Asia’s biggest economies. They’ve found it difficult to loosen the grip of local players like Maruti Suzuki India, a household name since the 1980s thanks to its iconic Maruti 800 that became the first affordable car for the masses. But with the advent of EVs, firms like MG Motor, the local unit of China’s SAIC Motor Corp., Renault, Nissan and Volkswagen may finally gain a better foothold.

Source: https://www.financialexpress.com/, June 13, 2023

China's Nio cuts prices, ends free battery swapping as sales slide

Nio said on Monday it would lower prices for all its models and end free battery swapping services to new buyers, as the Chinese electric vehicle maker faces mounting pressure over earnings losses and lukewarm sales. Nio will cut prices by 30,000 yuan ($4,200) for all models including its revamped ES6 and ES8 sports utility vehicles from June 12, according to a company statement. That equates to discounts ranging from 6% to 9% on Nio cars. The company also would no longer provide free battery swapping services to buyers who place deposits on Monday and onwards, it said. More than 40 auto brands operating in China including BYD (002594.SZ) and Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) have joined a price war started by Tesla (TSLA.O) this year in a fight for market share as car demand slumps, with ripples spreading throughout the country's wider automotive industry.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/, June 12, 2023

Tata Motors to develop software to control its electric power trains

Indian automaker Tata Motors — which has the largest electric vehicle penetration in the country — is developing a software for controlling its electric powertrains. The company sold 50,043 electric vehicles in 2022-23 in the domestic market. The software will be developed in-house and used for the company’s operation. Tata Motors is working on the development of in-house control software for electric powertrains, prognostics, and high-fidelity powertrain plant models for Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing. Highlighting cyber threats to its vehicles, Tata Motors stated that is training its staff and vehicle certifications to mitigate the risk of data privacy of consumers and vehicle hacking.

Source: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/, June 13, 2023

As electric vehicles become more common, experts worry they could pose a safety risk for other drivers

As electric vehicles become more common, concerns over their safety, not just for those who drive them but for others on the road as well, are also increasing. Tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) show EVs hold up well in a simulated crash. Their batteries make the vehicles heavier, offering better protection to the passengers inside, but that extra weight — hundreds to even thousands of pounds — has traffic safety advocates concerned about the potential risk to other drivers. The average vehicle on the roads as of mid-2023 weighed around 4,300 pounds, according to government data, but some newer large EVs weigh thousands of pounds more. That difference, crash experts say, matters.

Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/, June 12, 2023

TOP

Defence & Solar

US pushing India to seal big armed drone buy for Modi visit

Ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to Washington, the Biden administration is pushing New Delhi to cut through its own red tape and advance a deal for dozens of U.S.-made armed drones, two people familiar with the matter said. India has long expressed interest in buying large armed drones from the United States. But bureaucratic stumbling blocks have hampered a hoped-for deal for SeaGuardian drones that could be worth $2 billion to $3 billion for years. U.S. negotiators are counting on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's White House visit on June 22 to break the log jam.

Source: By  Mike Stone, Trevor Hunnicutt and Krishn Kaushik, https://www.reuters.com/, June 14, 2023

Nsa ajit doval meets his us counterpart jake sullivan, addresses meet on critical, emerging technologies in delhi

National Security Advisor of US Jake Sullivan who is on a two-day India visit met his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval on Tuesday and discussed regional and global issues of mutual interest. Sullivan is accompanied by a delegation of senior US government officials and leaders of US industry during his visit. His visit to the national capital comes in the run-up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming state visit to the US. The two national security advisers had restricted discussions earlier today to discuss topics of common interest. Later that day, they both attended the second Track 1.5 discourse on it, which the Confederation of Indian Industry hosted.

Source: https://www.indiandefensenews.in/, June 13, 2023

Multi-carrier battle group exercise projects india’s maritime might

The Indian Navy recently conducted a massive exercise involving two , multiple frontline warships, submarines and over 35 combat and reconnaissance aircraft. The twin carrier battle groups (CBG) exercise involved seamless integration of the recently refitted INS Vikramaditya and the indigenously built INS Vikrant, ‘floating sovereign airfields’, which can host and launch a wide array of aircraft, including MiG-29K fighter jets and Kamov-31, MH-60R multi-role helicopters and Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) DHRUV and Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) TEJAS-Navy. The Navy said the exercise “underscores India’s commitment to safeguarding its national interests, maintaining regional stability” and marked a “significant milestone in the Indian Navy’s pursuit of enhancing maritime security and power-projection in the Indian Ocean and beyond”.

Source: https://www.indiandefensenews.in/, June 13, 2023

TOP

Consumer Electronics

China’s <$150 Smartphone Market Posts Surprising Surge in Q1 2023

China’s smartphone market is witnessing a surprising shift in the landscape. In Q1 2023, China’s overall smartphone market fell 5% YoY. However, going against the grain, the entry-level segment (<$150 wholesale price) increased significantly by 22% YoY during the quarter, according to Counterpoint’s China Quarterly Smartphone Report. Over the years, Chinese OEMs have been mostly targeting the premium segment. Android smartphones have actively pushed the trend of premiumization in China, hoping to capture more market share from established players like Apple in the ultra-premium (>$800) segment. Nevertheless, Apple’s market share has continued to grow, reaching its highest in recent years.

Source: By  ARCHIE ZHANG, https://www.counterpointresearch.com/, June 13, 2023

India’s Smart Home Security Camera Shipments Up 48% YoY in Q1 2023

India’s smart home security camera shipments grew 48% YoY in Q1 2023 (January-March), according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s Smart Home IoT Service. During the period, there was a strong increase in demand for home surveillance products as offices began reopening for working professionals. In Q1 2023, the average selling price of smart security cameras declined considerably YoY, with the INR1,500-INR 2,000 price range emerging as the most popular. Safety and security of homes have become a prime concern for most Indian households, which led to an increase in demand for smart security cameras and strong growth in shipments during the quarter. The shipment share of the INR1,500-INR2,000 price band jumped to 28% in Q1 2023 from 3% in Q1 2022. A decline in cost of components, especially those of memory and Wi-Fi chipsets, have led to a decline in the overall ASP.

Source: By VARUN GUPTA, https://www.counterpointresearch.com/, June 14, 2023

Share of OLED Smartphones at Record High

The share of OLED display smartphones in global smartphone sales reached a record high of 49% in Q1 2023, up from 29% in Q1 2020, according to Counterpoint Research’s Global Handset Model Sales Tracker, published in March 2023. The screen or display has been one of the main factors influencing consumers to purchase a smartphone. OLED display provides a better viewing experience than LCD in several aspects by offering better viewing angles, deeper blacks and increased battery life along with other features. Brands also pushed OLED displays as a differentiating factor due to the leaner and more flexible panels that allow slimmer phones with curved displays in mid-priced and premium segments. Notably, the share of OLED displays in the above $250 wholesale price band reached 94% in Q1 2023.

Source: By HARSHIT RASTOGI, https://www.counterpointresearch.com/, June 09, 2023

Apple Thinking About the Next Decade & Beyond with Vision Pro Announcement

Apple made its long-anticipated foray into the extended reality (XR) market with the announcement of a $3,499 headset, Vision Pro, at this year’s WWDC on June 5. While Apple is calling it an augmented reality (AR) headset, it is effectively a mixed reality headset based on video pass-through, although done better than anyone else. This is an important step forward for the technology which may eventually replace smartphones, personal computers and televisions. With such high expectations, Apple’s stock reached an all-time high before the announcement but fell during the keynote address. This shift in investor stance reflects the challenges that complicate this opportunity.

Source: By HARMEET SINGH WALIA, https://www.counterpointresearch.com/, June 06, 2023

TOP

EMSIF

(Special section of the MSME related news under ELCINA Micro & Small Industry Forum)

Assam government launches its Credit Guarantee Scheme for MSMEs

Assam government has launched the Assam Credit Guarantee Scheme (Assam CGS, or ACGS) this year to enable small businesses in the state to access formal credit without collateral, said the report by ANI. Effective from April 1, 2023, the state government has partnered with Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE), jointly set up by the MSME Ministry and Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), to increase the flow of institutional credit to micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in the state.

Source: https://www.financialexpress.com/, Jne 12, 2023

GeM organizes district-level workshops for buyers and sellers across Uttar Pradesh

Government e-Marketplace (GeM), the public procurement platform of the Government of India, is organising buyer-seller workshops across all 75 districts of the state Uttar Pradesh starting today till August 31st, 2023. The workshop will provide the MSME sellers with the proper knowledge and know-how about the functioning of the public procurement platform and resolve their queries and doubts, if any. The rationale behind the workshops is to disseminate information about the potential of GeM to the sellers in the remotest areas of UP.

Source: By Girish Khurana, https://www.financialexpress.com/, June 12, 2023

Niti Aayog working to integrate MSMEs with supply chains

 The government plans to introduce a comprehensive policy for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that will provide for easier credit, including collateral free loans and reduced documentation, to help them integrate with the large supply chains. The NITI Aayog, which is working on the plan, has held discussions with industry and states in this regard, said people aware of the matter. The plan includes identification of products in sectors drawing benefits under Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme which could be developed and supplied by local MSMEs through a dedicated vendor development programme.

Source: By Yogima Seth Sharma, https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/, June 13, 2023

9 years of Modi govt: Over 6x growth in MSME budget, says MSME minister Narayan Rane

Hailing nine years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, MSME minister Narayan Rane noted that the MSME sector’s budget has increased by more than six times along with the launch of 26 new schemes and more than 1.5 crore MSME registrations on the Udyam registration portal. In the last 9 years, under the strong leadership of respected Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji, the MSME sector is playing an important role in achieving the goal of ‘Self-reliant India’. MSME budget increased by more than 6 times, 26 new schemes launched, more than 1.5 crore registrations on Udyam portal.

Source: https://www.financialexpress.com/, June 11,2023

176 MSMEs among PLI beneficiaries in bulk drugs, telecom, textiles, other sectors so far: Govt

The production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, launched by the government to push its Make in India objective, has approved 733 applications from manufacturers across 14 sectors as on date including 176 MSME beneficiaries in sectors such as bulk drugs, medical devices, pharma, telecom, white goods, food processing, textiles and drones, informed Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary, DPIIT at an event on Tuesday. Till December-end 2022, the MSME beneficiary count was more than 100, according to the Economic Survey for 2022-23 earlier this year.

Source: https://www.financialexpress.com/. June 13, 2023

TOP

ELCINA EVENTS , ACTIVITIES & SERVICES 

For more information, please contact:

Rajesh Rawat – 9911445890 / rajesh@elcina.com

TOP

ELCINA Publications

https://elcina.com/roadmap-for-developing-pcb-eco-system-in-india	Roadmap For Developing PCB Eco-System in India Key Findings Indian PCB market and industry size in terms of domestic production, exports, and imports Growth drivers and challenges (needs & gaps) in the Indian PCB industry Growth potential of PCB manufacturing in India and identify enablers for creating & strengthening the domestic value chain Key inputs required viz. investments, technology, and infra eco-system Details of key PCB value chain players – global and domestic, who can be invited to invest to establish a strong PCB industry
https://elcina.com/ems-task-force-report-on-market-industry-analysis-of-ems-sector-in-india	EMS Task Force Report Key Findings Currently EMS Industry (Contract Manufacturing Services) are valued 832 Bn $ and are projected to grow 1055 Bn by 2025. Domestic electronics manufacturing is estimated at USD 75 Bn of which 39 Bn constitutes EMS value. This is divided into 23.5 Bn domestic Mfg. and USD 15.5 Bn PCBS/Sub-Assembly imports. Further USD 53.5 Bn is finished Electronic Goods imports of which USD 17 Bn is EMS value. Thus total EMS opportunity loss is US$ 32.5 Bn (15.5 +17). The report estimates that EMS production can grow realistically from USD 23.5 Bn today to USD 152 Bn by 2025 at CAGR of 45%. This will meet 75% of the countries EMS requirement of US$ 203 Bn by 2025 against a total estimated market of 400 Bn.
https://elcina.com/elcina-task-force-report-on-electronic-components	ELCINA Task Force Report on Electronic Components Key Findings Current status of component manufacturing in India – Areas of competence vs Gaps and inadequacies Components which urgently require investments and growth in domestic manufacturing Emerging technology and new components for upcoming opportunities Constraints and bottlenecks to be addressed Overcoming Policy constraints, WTO (ITA-1) deadlock and Zero Duty issue Strategy for overcoming these constraints Eco-System requirements- Role of Central and State Governments
https://elcina.com/elcina-directory-of-indian-electronics-industry	ELCINA Directory of Indian Electronics Industry 2022-23 Description ELCINA Directory of Indian Electronics Industry – includes the updates on Indian Electronics Industry and a host of additional improved features covering business environment, statistical industry scan, company databases plus various projections. This handy compendium with its easy-to-read format attracts the attention of a growing number of users (within India and abroad) Apart from electronics industry, the users of this Directory range from financial institutions, commercial banks, FIIs, Consultancy organizations as well as industry promotion institutes across the world….

TOP

FORTHCOMING EVENTS &  GENERAL INFORMATION 

Overseas Shows

 Domestic Shows

 TOP