Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s candid and business-friendly approach drew praise from Dutch semiconductor giant ASML, after its CEO Christophe Fouquet met him for two hours. According to ASML executive Frank Heemskerk, PM Modi not only listened but urged the company to offer feedback, saying: “You’re too friendly, tell me what we can do better.”
Heemskerk made the remarks at a business summit in Brussels when he was asked if his company had easy access to top leaders of the European Union.
“It’s not always easy. It’s easier to get a meeting in the White House with a senior official than to get a meeting with a commissioner,” he quipped.
He added that European policymakers should take a cue from PM Modi’s approach, noting that “political leaders should sit down with the companies that are making the investments.”
Commenting on ASML’s recent 1.3 billion euro deal with French AI firm Mistral, he said, “Of course, it’s easier since it’s a European company, we understand each other better.”
He, however, emphasised that the real reason for the partnership is Mistral’s strong focus on industrial AI, not geopolitics.
The Dutch tech giant’s praise for PM Modi comes as India is on the brink of a semiconductor revolution, making bold strides in developing semiconductor chips.
In August, the Prime Minister was presented with the first made-in-India chip called Vikram, which was developed by ISRO’s Semiconductor Laboratory.
On Independence Day, he also announced that the ‘Made in India’ chip would reach the market by the end of the year.
In 2021, the Centre launched the India Semiconductor Mission with a budget of Rs 76,000 crore. The programme aims to support investments in semiconductor fabrication, display manufacturing, and chip design.
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