The international IT event of the Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC), IndiaSoft 2012 was scheduled to organize between March 21 and 23 at Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC).
Shri Ponnala Lakshmaiah, Minister for Information Technology & Communications, Government of Andhra Pradesh has urged that the IT industry to increasingly take advantage of the Offset Policy governing the defense imports to leverage the IT exports to the developed markets. Shri Lakshmaiah has inaugrated the Indiasoft 2012 International exhibition and conferences, organized by the Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC) in Hyderabad. The offset policy allows India to export 30 percent of the total value of the defense imports from a particular country to that destination. This he said would give a great fillip to IT exports, particularly from the SME sector. He also wanted ESC to create a digital platform for B2B operations primarily directed at the SME sector.
Shri Lakshmaiah said, "7 ministries have already cleared the projects, including the Planning Commission. The project is awaiting the clearance of the Union IT ministry and hoped that the approval would be expedited at the earliest. The Andhra Pradesh Government has earmarked 200 sq Kms for three projects under ITIR, with a total outlay of Rs 2085 crore. Andhra Pradesh exports close to Rs 35,000 crore every year and has become the third largest IT exporting city in the country. Till the end of 2011, Andhra Pradesh has created 279,000 direct jobs in the IT sector. The state is also fast becoming a happening region for the knowledge industry. One out of every third graduates passing out of educational institutions is from the state."
Welcoming the delegates to the inaugural function, S Radhakrisnan, Chairman, ESC said, "Close to 60 exhibitors from India was launching their innovative products at Indiasoft and hoped that the B2B platform would provide an impetus to the IT industry, particularly SMEs to clinch lasting business deals. The 12th edition of the Indiasoft has incorporated into itself several new features that are relevant to the world IT community. Importantly, ESC also has released the statistical year book, which contained vital information relating to India's IT exports, sector-wise data and the potentials."
Nalin Kohli, Chairman, Indiasoft 2012 Steering Committee touched upon the changing focus of the Indiasoft show. The stress now is on innovation and value addition, he added.
Deepak Sareen, Executive Director, ESC said, "Indiasoft 2012, the three day show, is being attended by 400 foreign delegates from 60 countries and hoped that huge volume of businesses would be transacted at the conclusion of the show."
The Union Government will soon roll out an electronics policy, which would envisage an electronics production target of US 400 billion by 2020, according to J Sathyanaryana, Secretary, Department of IT, Ministry of communications and IT, Government of India.
J Sathyanaryana said, "The proposed policy will give equal importance to electronics manufacturing as is given in the case of software exports, so that this segment of the IT industry will get a boost and supplement and complement the overall exports from the country. The policy deliberations are at an advanced stage and hopefully it will be finalized shortly. It would mainly focus on five areas, such as creation of an enabling eco-system for manufacture of electronics, thrust on exports, stress on human resource development for meeting the needs of the industry, lay down quality standards and would ensure cyber security. Stress on the manufacture of semi-conductors, creating more electronics manufacturing clusters, identify creation of IT investment centres for hardware and software development are the hallmark of the policy to provide a congenial IT eco system. In this regard, he disclosed that that the proposal for setting up ITIR in different parts of the country is at an advanced stage of clearance."
JK Dadoo, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry said, "The quantum of e-commerce in India would grow by 20 times from present level of US$ 300 million to close to US$ 20 billion in 5-7 years, aided by the increasing internet penetration in the country. He also flag marked India's IT potential in areas like cloud computing, frugal engineering, satellite communications, production of affordable tablets, digital set-ups etc. The accelerated digitization in ministries like Food, telecom, health, human resources will create million of gainful jobs in the country."
Indiasoft 2012 has brought together 400 foreign delegates and close to 200 Indian IT exhibitors to discuss and finalize business deals, that will amount to several million dollars. This largest ever congregation of delegates at the Indiasoft, has witnessed 60 product launches, which is also a record number.
Significantly, many countries have made fervent attempt to elicit positive responses from Indian IT players to invest in their countries, in areas including ERP, education, e-governance etc. Leading the increasing number of delegates who are seeking Indian IT partners was the Costa Rican Foreign Trade Minister Ms Anabel Gonzalez, who wanted India to help her country in laying an IT backbone to facilitate the IT revolution in the country. She also wanted Indian investment in her country to serve India’s increasing IT exposures in the US and Latin American countries. "My country can be a springboard to Indian IT players to make their footprint at the expanding IT market in the Latin America," she added.
Next one to seek Indian assistance in the development of IT was Mauritius Information and Communication Technology Minister, Shri Tassarajen Pillay Chedumbrum. He said, "Close cultural ties between the two countries can be leveraged for greater IT penetration in his country. Mauritius is undergoing an image makeover from a country known only for tourism and plantations. We are making conscious effort to develop our IT sector."
Representatives of countries like US, Australia, Brazil, CIS, EU, Africa, SAARC, Asia etc keenly participated at the event.
