Oct 5 – Dutch semiconductor giant ASML has praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a candid, business-friendly engagement style following a two-hour meeting with CEO Christophe Fouquet.
ASML executive Frank Heemskerk said the Prime Minister not only listened but actively sought critique: “You’re too friendly—tell me what we can do better.”
Speaking at a business summit in Brussels, Heemskerk contrasted access to EU leadership with other capitals. “It’s not always easy. It’s easier to get a meeting in the White House with a senior official than to get a meeting with a commissioner,” he said, urging European policymakers to emulate Modi’s habit of sitting down with companies making major investments.
On ASML’s recent €1.3 billion partnership with French AI firm Mistral, Heemskerk noted that while European ties help, the deal is driven by Mistral’s focus on industrial AI, not geopolitics.
The remarks come as India steps up its semiconductor push. In 2021, the government launched the India Semiconductor Mission with a ₹76,000 crore outlay to support chip fabrication, display manufacturing and design. In August, Modi was presented with a domestically developed chip, “Vikram,” from ISRO’s Semiconductor Laboratory, and he has said a “Made in India” chip is expected to reach the market by year-end.
