Global Chip Reshuffle

South Korea and India are pushing new chip projects into regions far from the industry’s traditional centers as governments chase artificial-intelligence demand and a less concentrated supply chain. (korea.net) (pib.gov.in) (money.usnews.com) In India, the federal government said on April 19 that the foundation stone was laid for the country’s first advanced 3D semiconductor packaging unit at Info Valley in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The project, promoted by 3D Glass Solutions, involves nearly ₹2,000 crore of investment. (pib.gov.in) India’s government said the Odisha facility is designed to produce 70,000 glass panels a year, 50 million assembled units and about 13,000 advanced 3D heterogeneous-integration modules. ETManufacturing reported commercial production is expected by 2028, with full-scale operations targeted by 2030. (pib.gov.in) (manufacturing.economictimes.indiatimes.com) In South Korea, Gangwon Province has been building a semiconductor cluster around three cities with different roles: Chuncheon for research, Wonju for training and testing, and Gangneung for materials and parts. Korea.net said the province plans to complete the cluster by 2033. (korea.net) Gangneung already has a ceramic-materials base tied to semiconductor equipment, while Wonju has been selected for a Korea Semiconductor Training Institute and related verification work. A KOTRA ombudsman posting said Gangwon also moved ahead with design work for a Semiconductor Consumables Verification Center in Wonju. (korea.net) (ombudsman.kotra.or.kr) Chip packaging is the stage after a chip is made, when manufacturers connect it, protect it and combine it with other components so it can be used in servers, phones or defense systems. India’s Odisha project is aimed at advanced packaging, a higher-value segment that has become more important as companies stack and link chips for artificial-intelligence workloads. (pib.gov.in) (manufacturing.economictimes.indiatimes.com) The timing tracks a broader industry surge. TSMC said on April 16 that it raised its annual revenue forecast and planned higher capital spending as it worked to meet what Reuters called “relentless hunger” for advanced artificial-intelligence chips. (money.usnews.com) ASML, the Dutch supplier whose machines are used to make leading-edge chips, also lifted its 2026 revenue outlook on April 15 as artificial intelligence boosted demand for its equipment. Reuters said the stronger forecast pointed to continued expansion in data-center and chipmaking investment. (money.usnews.com) PwC said in its 2026 semiconductor outlook that governments and companies are trying to diversify production, reduce dependencies and respond to export controls, material restrictions and shifting trade alliances. The firm projects the semiconductor market will top $1 trillion by 2030, with server and network chips growing fastest from generative-artificial-intelligence demand. (pwc.com) That leaves the current chip map looking less like a single corridor and more like a patchwork of specialized nodes. Gangwon is trying to supply materials, training and testing inside South Korea, while Odisha is trying to pull advanced assembly work into India before the next wave of artificial-intelligence hardware arrives. (korea.net) (pib.gov.in) (pwc.com)