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Indian IT still has global edge: Mahajan
By Anand Parthasarathy
MUMBAI, FEB.5. ``Internally we are as strong as ever - the temporary problem in Information Technology (IT) lies outside'', said Mr Pramod Mahajan, Union Minister for IT, Communications and Parliamentary Affairs here today.
He was inaugurating ``NASSCOM 2002'', the annual get together of the Indian software and services industry.
In an upbeat message to over 1000 computers-and- communication leaders, Mr Mahajan asked them to remember that the key strength of the Indian IT business had in fact improved during the last 12 months of global recession: the resource of over one lakh trained IT professionals a year made India a human power house.
Coupled with this was our edge with the English language and the environment of free enterprise that pervaded the IT industry. In a backward swipe at his own tribe, he quipped that by the time politicians in India could figure out what IT was all about, it was too late to control it. ``There is only a thin line between non-interference and indifference'', Mr Majahan added, ``But in India, the government has replaced indifference of earlier years with active support... and every one of the 28 state governments competes to encourage the growth of IT''.
The minister announced that at noon tomorrow (February 6), Satyam Infoway would be the first authority established to certify an Indian digital signature: at a function in Mumbai, his own signature will be certified, inaugurating a new era of online financial transactions.
He asked the assembled industry leaders to help realise the dream that Indians would own 100 million telephones by 2005 (from the present 40 million. ``It took a Henry Ford to help Americans realise the dream of two cars in their garage and I think it will need a Ratan Tata or a Mukesh Ambani to help realise this telecom dream'' he added.
However, if the Indian vision of becoming an IT superpower was to become reality, two things were necessary:
-It must look beyond the US, Europe and Japan as potential markets. These countries accounted for 90 per cent of Indian software exports, whereas, there were another 100 countries with whom our IT business was minuscule.
- It must not neglect the huge domestic market. While 300 out of every 1000 Indians owned a TV set, only four owned a PC. This was a gap that the industry must address, Mr Mahajan said, ``NASSCOM must ensure that it is not just those who wear a tie that own a PC - but those who wear sarees and dhothies as well'' he quipped.
Overall, the vital signs of the Indian IT industry were encouraging, the Minister concluded: ``The human resource kidneys are functioning well and the English-speaking heart is quite healthy... it is only a little external air pollution that is a little troubling!''
Earlier, the meeting was addressed by NASSCOM President, Mr Kiran Karnik, Chairman, Mr Phiroz Vandrenvala and Vice Chairman Mr Arun Kumar.
The UK Minister for Small Business Mr Nigel Griffith, who was the guest of honour, made a strong plea to Indian IT companies to set up shop in the UK which was emerging as an e-commerce leader.
Over 250 Indian companies, 100 of them in IT already had a UK presence, he added.
For three days from Wednesday, NASSCOM joins two other organisations, MAIT and CII,in hosting a combined IT show and conference here.
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