Fujifilm India signs MoU to assess semiconductor materials manufacturing in Gujarat

Fujifilm’s move is a strategic node in the global semiconductor materials supply chain’s fragmentation. Technically, localizing photoresists and CMP slurries in India will force equipment vendors like Lam Research to recalibrate process parameters for regional purity standards, creating a localized tech loop. Compliance-wise, while India’s PLI scheme offers subsidies, domestic content mandates and export controls could inflate operational costs by over 15%. By acting before rivals Tokyo Ohka or Shin-Etsu scale southward, Fujifilm aims to block Korean and Taiwan, China-based players from using India as a backdoor to circumvent U.S.-Japan export curbs. Within 18 months, if Gujarat evolves into a materials-fab cluster, it may draw at least two Japanese suppliers—but grid reliability and talent shortages remain critical constraints.