Automated Tooling Systems India (ATS India) has joined forces with Japanese automation and semiconductor equipment major Hirata Corporation to bring advanced semiconductor manufacturing and automation technologies to India.

 

Under the strategic partnership, ATS India will serve as Hirata’s exclusive distribution partner in India, making the Japanese company’s globally proven equipment and technology portfolio available to Indian semiconductor and electronics manufacturers.

 

The partnership comes as India ramps up efforts to establish a domestic semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem and build capabilities across manufacturing, advanced packaging and outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT).

 

India’s semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem remains at an early stage, with access to globally benchmarked backend equipment and automation often constrained by long lead times, cross-border coordination and limited local technical support. The ATS-Hirata partnership is aimed at addressing that gap by providing Indian manufacturers with local access to advanced equipment and services.

 

The two companies already have a relationship spanning more than a decade across sectors including automotive. The new agreement extends that relationship into India’s emerging semiconductor industry.

 

Initially, Hirata will focus on its standard product portfolio in India, targeting the most immediate requirements of the country’s developing semiconductor ecosystem. ATS India will distribute Hirata’s semiconductor automation and material-handling technologies, including Equipment Front End Modules (EFEM), FOPLP Load Ports, PLP Panel Handling Robots and high-performance wafer handling robots.

 

The equipment is designed to enable precise and reliable wafer and panel handling across semiconductor manufacturing and advanced packaging operations.

 

The partnership also comes as India’s electronic manufacturing services (EMS) industry moves towards higher-value manufacturing, with growth expected to increasingly extend beyond assembly into components, engineering and complex manufacturing.

 

Kishen Kavikondala, CEO of ATS India said, “The focus of this partnership is on building the local commercial, technical and service ecosystem that Indian semiconductor manufacturers will need as their capacity grows over the next decade as India's semiconductor manufacturing capacity and supporting ecosystem continue to mature. 

 

"The emphasis will be on precision manufacturing solutions, before expanding into more customized, application-specific offerings as the market matures. We see significant potential in India's equipment design capabilities, a multi-million-dollar opportunity by 2030 that ATS India is well positioned to tap into. By making Hirata's advanced equipment locally available, semiconductor and electronics manufacturers in India will no longer need to depend on cross-border logistics or delayed technical support that have historically slowed adoption. 

 

"This shift is expected to have a multiplier effect across the ecosystem enabling faster equipment deployment, reduced downtime through local servicing, and greater confidence among global and domestic manufacturers evaluating India as a semiconductor manufacturing destination."

 

John Derzy, Vice President, Hirata Corporation of America, said, "India represents one of the most important growth markets for Hirata as global semiconductor and electronics manufacturing continues to diversify. This partnership is not just about bringing a product or technology into India, it's about building long-term capability. 

 

"A larger goal underpinning this partnership is bringing greater automation to semiconductor manufacturing processes in India, particularly across OSAT (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test) operations, which remain largely manual or semi-automated in the Indian context today. 

 

'Automation is expected to be Hirata's biggest differentiator and gamechanger offering through this partnership. Over the next two to three years, we expect this collaboration to fundamentally change how Indian manufacturers access and adopt advanced semiconductor equipment technology that has powered semiconductor ecosystems in Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, and other advanced manufacturing hubs.”

 

Beyond direct employment, the partnership is expected to support the development of India’s local supply chain and skills base in precision manufacturing.

 

The collaboration also aligns with the Indian government’s push to expand domestic semiconductor and EMS capabilities. India’s EMS market is projected to exceed $150 billion by FY30, compared with an estimated $40-45 billion in 2025, driven by domestic demand, policy support and China+1 manufacturing strategies.

 

Over the next two to three years, ATS India and Hirata aim to support the scaling of India’s semiconductor manufacturing base by expanding access to automation, advanced equipment and local technical capabilities.

 

The companies see the partnership as a step towards strengthening India’s broader electronics manufacturing ecosystem and supporting the country’s ambition to become a globally competitive semiconductor manufacturing hub.