Intel evaluating India as a chip manufacturing location

India is one of the three countries, which Intel is evaluating for setting up
its chip manufacturing plant. This was disclosed by Intel CEO Craig Barrett at
the media interaction in the capital. "We as a company usually go for one
manufacturing facility per year and there are about 100 countries in the world
that are interested in having that facility. Apart from India, the other
locations that we are evaluating are based in Eastern Europe and Latin
America."

Barrett also informed that Intel is looking at a higher growth rate for the
first half of 2005 as compared to the corresponding period last year. He added
that the growth would be driven largely by convergence of different
technologies.

Earlier in the day, Intel signed an MoU with the Ministry of IT aimed at
creating solutions to help make technology more accessible to the education
sector in India, particularly in the rural areas.

According to the MoU, Intel will work closely with companies supporting the
growth of PC penetration in India including OEMs, content creation companies and
channel partners by making PC more affordable for Indians.

Intel will work on curriculum design, especially in the area of VLSI, faculty
development workshops and research collaborations with educational institutions.

Intel has also signed MoUs with the governments of Uttaranchal, Kerala and
Karnataka to extend technologies in rural areas. The MoU also aims at improving
education and bridging the digital divide in these areas.

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