Japan-based materials powerhouse Resonac is maintaining a vigilant observation post over India’s emerging semiconductor landscape. The supplier is positioning its advanced electronic materials portfolio to align with the nation’s long-term technology ambitions.  

In an interview at SEMICON India 2026, Takatoshi Ikeuchi, Director of the Electronics R&D Center at Resonac’s Electronics Business Headquarters, noted that while market momentum is building, domestic demand for high-end packaging materials remains at a foundational stage. Consequently, the company anticipates a horizon of five to ten years before the local advanced packaging ecosystem reaches full operational maturity.  

“I think there is a timing element as technology and demand boost for advanced packaging and semiconductors,” Ikeuchi said. “India needs to learn a lot, so it will take a little time. In my personal opinion, it will take five to ten years.”  

Navigating Current Industry Compatibility

Resonac’s cautious posture stems from the structural realities of today’s local ecosystem. As a premier supplier, Resonac prioritizes advanced node solutions rather than legacy semiconductor materials. At present, domestic commercial demand for high-density, advanced packaging materials is almost zero, as local manufacturing facilities are primarily in early setup phases.  

Furthermore, building specialized chemical facilities requires substantial local volume to justify capital expenditure. Without active packaging lines running high-end chips, establishing a local material plant remains economically premature. Resonac is choosing to carefully monitor market developments rather than rush immediate capital deployment.  

“Right now, demand—especially for advanced packaging—is very small, almost zero,” Ikeuchi explained. “So we are closely watching the development of semiconductor technology here in India.”  

Evaluating Open Innovation Models

Globally, Resonac champions industry-led R&D consortiums—such as JOINT 2 and US-JOINT—which bring equipment vendors and material suppliers together on shared pilot lines. Ikeuchi emphasized that this collaborative approach accelerates technological integration as packaging architectures grow complex.  

However, establishing an identical industry-led consortium in India remains difficult due to the limited number of local advanced material suppliers. Instead, Resonac joined the India-based Indian Design, Semiconductor, Packaging and System (IDSPS) consortium, an academic-led initiative facilitated by former Georgia Tech professor Rao Tummala, to support regional ecosystem development.  

While Resonac evaluated creating an industry-led platform in India similar to its JOINT initiatives, the company judged that the local ecosystem remains in too early a stage to support that specific structure. Joining the academic-focused IDSPS consortium allows Resonac to actively explore the Indian market alongside universities like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and local industry partners without overextending capital.

Nevertheless, Ikeuchi said the company is not ruling out spearheading an industry-led consortium in India in the future, choosing to monitor ecosystem progress until market demand and supplier density reach the necessary threshold.

Building Supply-Chain Foundations

Resonac holds strong market positions across the global semiconductor value chain, spanning front-end high-purity solvents to back-end substrate materials, non-conductive films (NCF), and thermal interface materials. Offering an integrated lineup allows chipmakers to resolve complex compatibility challenges without managing piecemeal material sourcing.  

While local commercial demand builds, Resonac is laying essential operational groundwork by recruiting Indian engineers into its global R&D activities. As domestic investments in data centers and artificial intelligence accelerate, Resonac plans to continually evaluate market readiness to determine the right timing for establishing dedicated domestic R&D or manufacturing facilities.  

— Cristian Canoza

25 September 2026