Dholera Fab Targeting 90nm First, Not 28nm — First Silicon Now Mid-2028, Not Late 2026
The Tata-PSMC fab at Dholera, publicly committed as a 28nm node facility in 2024, is targeting first commercial production at 90nm — two full process generations above what was announced. First silicon is now expected mid-2028, not late 2026 as originally stated. An unresolved discrepancy named by TechTimes on August 2.
TechTimes (August 2, 2026) named what no official Tata Electronics or MeitY announcement has addressed: the Tata-PSMC fab at Dholera is targeting first commercial production at 90nm process node — two full process generations above the 28nm that was publicly committed in 2024. First silicon is now expected in mid-2028, not late 2026 as originally projected by Tata Electronics MD Dr. Randhir Thakur and Minister Vaishnaw in earlier statements.
The article describes this as “a discrepancy that remains unresolved” — neither confirmed nor denied in official communications. The process node and timeline update appear to have entered the reporting through industry and supply-chain sourcing rather than formal announcement.
Technical context: the Dholera fab is designed for 50,000 wafer starts per month targeting automotive chips, industrial microcontrollers, AI accelerators, and IoT devices. The 28nm-to-90nm shift reflects a deliberate alignment with India’s actual chip demand profile: the automotive electronics, EV systems, industrial power conversion, and smart infrastructure segments that India needs to serve domestically are overwhelmingly served by 90nm–180nm process nodes, not leading-edge nodes. The 90nm node is mature, proven, and commercially relevant for everything India actually buys in volume.
90nm is not a failure — it is a commercial calibration. India’s domestic chip demand does not require 3nm AI accelerators. It requires the chips that go into EV chargers, motor drives, smart meters, telecom base stations, and industrial controllers. All of those are 90nm–180nm products. A 90nm fab at Dholera serving India’s domestic market and regional export customers is commercially viable. The gap between 28nm promised and 90nm delivered is a communications and credibility question, not a commercial viability question. The mid-2028 first silicon timeline has an important implication for institutions: Dholera’s workforce demand peak is 2027–29, not 2026–27. The facilities hiring right now are Micron Sanand, Kaynes, CG Semi, and CDIL Mohali — all OSAT and packaging-focused. An institution targeting Dholera placement is building for 2028, not 2026. Plan accordingly.