Semiconductor test equipment vendor Advantest is evolving its operations in India from a traditional hardware tester provider into an integrated test solutions company.

In an interview at SEMICON India, Rajesh Vaddempudi, Managing Director of Advantest India Private Limited, outlined how the global leader leverages its local R&D footprint and AI tools to support domestic design firms, OSAT operators, and commercial facilities.

Shifting from Hardware to Integrated Solutions

Advantest addresses high pin count and high-power chip challenges driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and High-Performance Computing (HPC) demands. The supplier combines hardware design, sockets, thermal management, and advanced computing into modular platforms.

“Traditionally we have been a test company,” Vaddempudi said. “We have now transformed into a test solution company, addressing high pin count, hardware design, socket, and thermal challenges together as a complete solution.”

Using internal AI software tools, Advantest reduces total test times for chipmakers. Vaddempudi noted that manufacturing and time-to-market are key priorities for local players, and Advantest provides ready-built software modules to accelerate development. “We bring AI-based test program generation so customers do not need to start from ground zero,” Vaddempudi explained. “They already have models that are 70 to 80 percent proven, which helps bring their products to market very fast.”

Expanding R&D and Technical Hubs

Advantest has operated in India for over a decade. The company runs facilities in Chennai and Bengaluru to support domestic operations. Its Chennai site develops crucial software for global tester platforms, while the newly opened Bengaluru office provides direct customer engineering and sales support.

“Both our Chennai and Bengaluru R&D centers will continue to expand,” Vaddempudi stated, confirming plans to scale up teams to match demand. He added that the company plans to open additional satellite facilities close to emerging OSAT clusters as customer operations expand.

Enabling Local OSATs and Startups

Advantest collaborates with Indian startups supported by government initiatives like the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme. To streamline early-stage silicon development, Advantest establishes customer experience test labs. “We are setting up facilities with customer experience test labs to enable startups and design houses to execute initial product development locally,” Vaddempudi shared.

Additionally, the company partners with service providers and local academic institutions to address test engineering talent shortages by introducing specialized manufacturing and test modules into university engineering curricula. For automotive microcontrollers, Advantest deploys scalable Power Analog Compute configurations specifically built to address local supply chain needs. Through local R&D expansions, specialized AI libraries, and an expanding lab footprint, Advantest positions itself to support India’s growing semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem.

— Cristian Canoza

25 September 2026