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News >> Technology >>
Offshore projects dominate software exports
By siliconindia
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Tuesday, 08 April 2003, 19:30 IST
NEW DELHI: Offshore projects accounted for nearly 56 per cent of computer software/services exports from India during 2001-02, according to the Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC).
"Offshore development activities dominate the country's software services industry and are growing at a phenomenal rate of 69 per cent annually," said D K Sareen, Executive Director, ESC. "The contribution of offshore projects during 2001-02 is estimated to be Rs 20,440 crore compared to Rs 12,100 crore in the previous year."
The share of export segment in total production of computer software/services also touched a new record of 75.83 per cent, while domestic software sector registered a growth of 23.77 per cent.
On the other hand, the domestic software sector grew from Rs 9,400 crore in 2000-01 to Rs 11,634 crore in 2001-02, while software exports climbed up from Rs 27,500 crore in the previous fiscal to Rs 36,500 crore.
ESC suggested that in order to promote offshore development activities, the government should take up entrepreneurship development programs in the IT sector urgently. Also, the government should take up the problems being faced by the IT professionals strongly so that they are not subjected to harassments. There is also a need to push for a new visa category for Indians, called the "Service Providers Visa", it said.
Adding further to the 2001-02 exports performance, Sareen said that software technology parks (STPs) accounted for a share of 81 per cent in India's total computer software/ services exports. Share of EPZs (Electronic Processing Zones) and DTA (domestic tariff area) went down to 4.69 per cent and 14.43 per cent respectively as compared to 6.17 per cent and 21 per cent in the previous fiscal.