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UAE among top export markets for Indian software services

DUBAI - The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman continue to be the top markets in the region for India's export of software and IT-enabled service that has been recording a phenomenal growth in the Middle East.

Indian Consul-General Dr George Joseph said India, one of the global leaders in software technology with exports worth Rs465 billion, is better-positioned to tap the fast growing IT market in the Middle East.

"In the backdrop of numerous regional e-initiatives and innovative projects, including Dubai Internet City and Dubai Media City, which offer IT companies excellent opportunities, the time is ripe for Indian IT players to make a concerted marketing thrust," Dr Joseph said at the launch of a CD highlighting Indo-UAE cooperation in the IT sector.

The CD, jointly released by the Consulate General of India in Dubai and the Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC), seeks to provide new opportunities to Indian IT companies for scouting the expanding Middle East market.

The consul-general, stressing the need for greater cooperation and coordination among software companies in exploring the global marketplace, warned that in the absence of a collective approach and uniform marketing strategy, India, which has emerged as a major software centre, would be left behind in the race.

Kamal Vachani, regional representative of Electronics & Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC), said the Middle East region, registering a phenomenal rise in IT exports from India in recent years, has a lot of potential yet to be tapped by India.

"With an effective communication network that has been rapidly revamped offering worldclass facilities, India is today well-placed to assist the countries of Middle East region in the IT sector. ESC is confident that the CD will assist in establishing new contacts and result in several ventures, strategic alliances, collaborations, marketing and distribution tie-ups," Vachani said.

Vachani said the CD would highlight economic profiles and trade between India and UAE with focus on the IT sector. It will also focus on government's policies, overall IT scenario with emphasis on hardware, software, telecom, Internet diffusion, e-commerce and IT education, both in India and the UAE. The CD will showcase strengths of IT industry of both the countries and interviews with leading IT stalwarts, he pointed out.

According to Vachani, India has emerged as a major software centre. Exports of computer software and information technology enabled services rose by 27.4 per cent to Rs465 billion in 2002-2003 from Rs365 billion in 2001-2002. Overall, infotech exports grew 24 per cent to Rs525 billion in 2002-03 from Rs423 billion in 2001-2002.

Vachani said the ESC, set up by the Ministry of Information Technology seeks to foster closer ties between the Middle East and Indian information technology players. "The council is taking several initiatives to assist Indian IT industry diversify exports in the global markets. Over the past few years, the council has stepped up promotional activities in certain identified regions and countries of the world with very positive results and will continue to step up the momentum to explore newer markets for maintaining the high growth rates of IT exports from the country," he said.