India’s First SiC Unit Nears Production

India’s first vertically integrated silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor manufacturing facility is nearing commercial production, with RIR Power Electronics completing the installation of key equipment at its facility near Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

The ₹618-crore project at the Info Valley-II electronic manufacturing cluster has reached an advanced stage. SiC epitaxial wafer manufacturing reactors have been installed, while power connections, utilities and other supporting infrastructure have also been commissioned.

RIR Power Electronics Chairman Harshad Mehta said the facility is expected to begin operations within the next three months, subject to completion of the remaining statutory and regulatory requirements.

The facility is being developed in phases. The first phase will establish epitaxy and packaging capabilities, while later phases are planned to expand fabrication capabilities and create an integrated SiC ecosystem covering wafers, power semiconductor devices and system-level solutions.

The company expects to produce around 750 SiC epitaxial wafers by the end of December 2026 and increase production to 20,000 wafers by the end of 2027.

SiC is a wide-bandgap semiconductor material capable of operating at higher temperatures and voltages than conventional silicon. Its applications include electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, renewable energy, energy storage, railways, industrial equipment, aerospace and data-centre power systems.

RIR plans to manufacture high-power SiC MOSFETs, IGBTs and diodes, with products designed for voltage applications ranging from 3.3 kV to 20 kV. The company has said the facility will eventually support an integrated manufacturing ecosystem covering wafers and power devices.

The development comes as Odisha expands its semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem. The state has secured commitments from five semiconductor companies with combined investments of more than ₹12,237 crore, according to Business Standard.