Date:05/12/2004 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/12/05/stories/2004120501580300.htm

Back Indo-Russian working group to prepare draft agreement on IT

Our Bureau

Bangalore , Dec. 4

INDIA and Russia plan to enter into an inter-governmental collaborative agreement on information technology early next year, said the Russian Minister for Communications and IT, Mr Leonid Reiman, here on Saturday.

Mr Reiman, who held discussions with his Indian counterpart, Mr Dayanidhi Maran, in New Delhi on Friday, told a press conference here that a working group of specialists is being set up to prepare a draft agreement, which was likely to be finalised during the visit of Mr Maran to Russia in the first half of next year.

Mr Reiman, who was part of the delegation led by the Russian President, Mr Vladimir Putin, also participated in an IT Roundtable between Indian and Russian companies. The Roundtable was productive and both the sides felt the need for having similar conferences at regular interval, he said. Top executives of some 20 Russian companies participated in the event.

Stating that the models of India's software technology parks are very good for the development of the industry, Mr Reiman said Russia would try to create something similar at home to accelerate IT growth.

The Russian Minister invited the Indian firms to set up operations in that country, which has $7-billion IT market and growing at 25-28 per cent. "We already have few companies operating in Russia," he said, adding that the country would simplify the visa regime further.

Mr Reiman emphasised that Indian and Russian companies could join hands and offer quality products for the `third countries'. While India is a leader in software, outsourcing and services and an established player in sales and marketing, Russia's strength lay in research and development. There is synergy to join hands by leveraging each other's skills, he said.