By Habib Beary BBC reporter in Bangalore

The US-based chip making firm Texas Instruments has unveiled plans to join hands with Indian companies to make India a silicon powerhouse.

Many software engineers of Indian origin in the US and elsewhere are raring to return to their homeland

Tom Engibous, CEO Texas Instruments

The Chairman and CEO of the $8 billion company, Tom Engibous, announced this in Bangalore, the so-called "Indian silicon valley", on Thursday.

He said India, with its skilled engineers, could emerge as a global centre of chip design and embedded software segments.

Texas Instruments has run a research and development centre in Bangalore for some years.

Largest facility

Mr Engibous was speaking to journalists in Bangalore during his first visit to the city since taking over as Texas Instruments' CEO in 1996.

He said his company was working in partnership with several Indian software firms like Wipro, and Tata Elxsi for designing and developing "embedded software".

Mr Engibous said more than 400 engineers from partner companies were working closely with Texas Instruments to develop complex silicon designs and embedded software products.

Texas Instruments' research and development centre in Bangalore is its largest R&D facility outside the US.

The centre is developing a wide range of products for wireless, broadband, imaging and audio application.

Major employer

Mr Engibous said Texas Instruments would hire Indian engineers returning from the US.

"Many software engineers of Indian origin in the US and elsewhere are raring to return to their homeland for assisting companies like ours to turn Indian into a silicon powerhouse in this decade," he said.

Texas Instruments, the first multinational to set up base in Bangalore in 1985, employs over 1,000 software engineers at its research centre here.

Texas Instruments, India, posted a revenue of Rupees 1.74 billion in 2001.

Overall, the parent company has invested $1.5 billion in research and development.