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'Indian software makers must focus on domestic market'
By siliconindia
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Thursday, 20 February 2003, 20:30 IST
NEW DELHI: India's high-profile software industry was Thursday asked to focus on technology outsourcing needs of the domestic market as the export-oriented sector's overseas clients pare orders in a slowing economy.
"The software companies must pay greater attention to the domestic market," said R.R. Shah, secretary in the Indian government's department of IT.
They should also pay more attention on marketing of IT products and its solutions, Shah said, while inaugurating a three-day international IT meet organised by the Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC) here.
Around 160 delegates from 31 countries are participating in the meeting. Sixty Indian IT companies are exhibiting their products and solutions at the fair.
On India's cooperation with various developing countries in IT sector, Shah said the government had set up six IT Centres in Ghana, Mongolia, Vietnam, Mauritius and Malaysia.
The official said the computer hardware sector also offers major opportunity for growth in the Indian IT industry. He said the government had received the report of the experts on the promotion of hardware sector.
The report has estimated the size of the market at $69 billion, which India can exploit with its trained manpower, Shah added.
Thailand's Minister for IT S. Suebwonglee said his government is keen to foster strong ties with India in the technology and communications field. He said India has emerged as a leader in the IT sector among the Asian countries.
Earlier, ESC said India's computer software and services exports registered a growth of 28 percent in 2001-02 at $7,652 million despite a series of negative developments like global economic recession.
Out of the total, IT software and services contributed $6,122 million posting a 21 percent rise in growth while IT enabled services sector registered a growth of 64 per cent percent in the same period at $1,530 million.
According to the ESC report, India's share in the world software market is at 1.82 percent, the report said, adding the global market size is $550 billion.