Processing .....please wait.. 
The article has been forwarded.... 
Intel to invest over $1 Bn in India
By siliconindia
|
Tuesday, 05 February 2008, 18:23 IST
Mumbai: Global chip maker Intel will invest more than one billion dollars in India over the next three years. The investment is for the purpose of producing light-weight personal computers in partnership with Indian and foreign hardware firms like ASUS Technologies, HCL, Wipro and Zenith.
"We are focusing on a number of new initiatives to enable easy availability of personal computers (PCs) and broadband Internet in India," said John A McClure, Intel Technology India Director- marketing and operations.
"From our India experience, we have learnt that even a first time PC buyer is looking particularly for mobility. They want lightweight products, that could run on battery for three to four hours, and is easy to store and doesn't take too much space," said McClure.
The company is also preparing to introduce Wimax technology in India, the fastest wireless BB technology available at lower cost than optical fibres. "This is the best device to bridge the PC-broadband Internet gap in India. With three million broadband Internet subscription against a PC deployment of 35 million, India has the worst broadband-PC ratio in a large market," he said.
"Today India is seventh or eighth largest PC market, poised to become third or fourth largest by 2012. But it is well behind in Internet penetration. This has become an obstacle for growth not only for the PC market but for the economy as a whole," McClure said.
According to him, only the BPO industry had benefited from "flattening of the world". The rest did not benefit as they did not have access to broadband Internet.
Intel's biggest role in India would be to continue to develop affordable Internet platforms with latest technology.
