ESC sets up committees to give extreme focus to Electronics and IT exports.

Pune, India. 28^th September 2002 - The Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC) have constituted three committees to give a critical push to electronics and IT exports from the country. The new committees are IT Enabled Services Exports, Hardware Exports and Software Services.

“The constitution of the committees will help in enhancing dialogue among the industry to create newer ideas for exports on the one hand and to take up industry related issues with the concerned authorities in a meaningful and constructive manner, on the other," says Mr. D K Sareen, Executive Director, ESC. Care has been taken to induct members with rich and wide experience in the industry in the Committee.

The Committee on IT Enabled Services will be led by Mr. Nalin Kohli, Chairman, Preksha International and Vice Chairman, ESC. “This Committee will evolve strategies to maintain India's dominance in the IT services against the backdrop of emergence of several other players. There is a concerted effort by countries like Philippines, Ireland, Israel and even Sri Lanka to enter this field in a big way taking advantage of their proficiency in English language. We have to take proactive steps to consolidate and build on our strengths to maintain the lead in the future," observes Mr. Sareen.

The members of the Committee include Mr. Prasad VSS Garapati, CMD, M/S Innosoft Technologies Ltd, Ms Radha Bhatia, Director, Reservation Data Maintenance India Pvt Ltd, Mr. Samir Chopra, and President and CEO Cybiz Call International. Mr. Pratap Aggarwal. MD IDS Infotech and Dr S K Aggarwal, Director, Software Technology Parks of India, and Mr. P. Venkat, CEO, Vital Link Outsourcing.

The Committee on Software Services will be led by Mr. Asoke K Laha, President & Managing Director, M/S Interra Software (India) Pvt Ltd. The Committee will give extreme focus to help
Indian software exporters and solution providers to move up in the value chain for realizing higher returns from software exports. To move to "High ended" software exports, greater interface with academia and industry is imperative. Possible areas where they could co-operate and draw from each others' strength should be identified. Recently, ESC had a joint meeting with IIT Delhi, and evolved a plan matrix for enhancing the competitiveness of the IT exports from India, particularly, to Japan. The Committee will develop similar synergies with other premier organizations.

Mr. Sareen said that ESC is also chalking out innovative strategies for tapping alternative markets for software and IT services exports. ESC has recently launched a scheme for teaching Japanese language to IT professionals and software exporters with the active support of Ministry of Commerce and Industry and JETRO. Similar initiatives will be launched for teaching German, French, Chinese, Korean, Russian etc to Indian IT professionals and exporters.

The other members of the Committee include Dr L S Kanodia, Chairman, Datamatics Technologies Ltd, Mr. S K Ahuja, Country Manager, MTC India Pvt Ltd, Ms Padmaja Krishnan, Vice President, HCL Perot Systems Ltd, and Mr. N Kannan, Asst. Vice President, Polaris Software Lab Ltd.

The Committee on Hardware Exports will be chaired by Mr. Sandeep Ahuja, Partner, Ahuja Radios with Mr. Sanjiv Narayan, MD, SGS Tekniks Ltd as the Co-Chairman. The Committee will evolve strategies for putting electronics and hardware exports from the country in the same pedestal as the software. This is important in view of the great prospects for export of embedded software. The countries that have competitive advantage in exporting hardware are trying to develop strengths for embedded software also. It is, therefore, necessary to shore up India's competitive advantage in hardware. It is significant that some of the South East Asian countries like Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia are trying to relocate their production bases to destinations where the cost of labour is cheaper. The Committee will be trying to project India as an ideal location for relocating the production bases.

The members of the Committee include Mr. V. Jolly, Partner Avadh Exports, Mr. Sunil Vachani, Chairman, Dixon Utilities & Exports Ltd, Mr. B.S Sethia Director, Elin Electronics Ltd, Mr. Raj Kapur, CEO, JCT Electronics, Mr. S Devarajan, CISCO Systems, and Mr. Yoshio Kubo, MD, Sony India Pvt Ltd.

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