INDIASOFT 2011 may be held in Ahmedabad

Having signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with ICT Davao, Philippines at an 'Indo-ASEAN IT Business Meet' on Monday, the Gujarat Electronics & Software Industries Association (GESIA) is now eyeing to bring INDIASOFT, one of the largest IT global networking events in India to Ahmedabad by next year.

"While the Indo-ASEAN IT business meet has been successful with GESIA signing an MoU with ICT Davao, Philippines, we want to see more such events being organised in Gujarat. Since these ASEAN delegates were on their way to INDIASOFT 2010 in Jaipur which begins on March 10, they dropped in at Ahmedabad for the business summit. If we could attract 20-25 delegates from ASEAN countries alone, we believe having INDIASOFT in Ahmedabad will further boost IT scenario in Gujarat," said Nirav Shah, president of GESIA.

According to Ravi Saxena, principal secretary, Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of Gujarat, there will be around 12-15 booths from Gujarat at INDIASOFT 2010 in Jaipur, "It is an event that opens door to a new world of IT opportunities. Therefore, ESC Gujarat chapter, GESIA and DST are working together to bring this event to Ahmedabad next year. We are in advanced talks with ESC and hope to sign the deal soon," said Saxena.

To be held for the 10th time, INDIASOFT 2010 will witness exhibitors as well as IT buyers globally looking for innovative outsourcing IT services and solutions including KPO, BPO. LPO, banking, finance, insurance, telecommunications, media and entertainment, engineering, bioinformatics among others. Of these, the event sees around 100-150 companies from abroad.

Source: Business Standard

GESIA signs MoU with Philippines firm

Gujarat Electronics & Software Industries Association (GESIA) today signed a memorandum of understanding(MoU) with ICT Davao, Inc of Philippines at the Indo-ASEAN IT BSM, a meet for IT SMEs of Gujarat.

As par the MoU, the two parties will collaborate by sending delegations to the other country, assist in trade fairs and buyer-seller meets, organise and participate in seminars and provide advisory support for projects. "The state has a robust IT infrastructure, space applications centre, developed telecommunication facilities and state-of-the-art security policy. There are 17 IT SEZs in various stages of development in Gujarat,” Ravi Saxena, principal secretary, department of science & technology (DST), government of Gujarat said at the occasion.

“My association with the Indian software industry is 10 years old. But, my country’s ties with India go beyond software. Our movement for people’s power that began in 1986 was inspired by Gujarat’s own Mahatma Gandhi,” said Samuel R. Matunog, president & CEO of Segworks Technologies Corporations of Philippines who signed the MoU together with Nirav Shah, president of GESIA.

There have been many initiatives in the past at the bilateral level and at the level of ASEAN countries to deepen the cooperation in IT sector. But, not on this scale. The visiting delegates are IT buyers from ASEAN region, representing countries such as Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, and others, Shah pointed out. The Indo-ASEAN BSM is expected to unlock the huge potential for business opportunities between the IT SMEs of Gujarat and the SMEs of other ASEAN countries. In the last decade, Gujarat has emerged as a major hub for IT SMEs.

The event was sponsored by Gujarat Informatics Ltd (GIL), a government of Gujarat company that is a nodal agency for IT development in the state, and the state IT department.

Source: Business Standard

IT exports from Gujarat to touch Rs1,500 crore

Industry expecting over 20% growth in this financial year

Gujarat is set to record over 20% growth in IT/ITeS exports this financial year to touch the mark of Rs1,500 crore. However, this growth will be slower compared to the previous year.

In 2008-09, IT exports from the state had grown 65% to touch Rs1,238 crore from Rs750 crore in 2007-08.

"Despite global recession, the IT industry in Gujarat is expecting a good growth this fiscal. We are expecting to touch the mark of Rs1,500 crore by end of March 2010," said principal secretary, Department of Science & Technology, Ravi Saxena.

The president of Gujarat Electronics & Software Industries Association (GESIA), Nirav Shah, also confirmed that the industry is likely to achieve this target in 2009-10. "Nasscom has predicted single digit growth of IT exports nationally. But Gujarat is expected to grow at more than 20%, which is much higher than the national average," he said.

On the sidelines of business alliance meet for IT SMEs of Gujarat - the 'Indo-ASEAN IT BSM' - in the city on Monday, Saxena further said that Gujarat is also likely to see its first IT/ITeS SEZ going on stream shortly. "Raheja's SEZ is almost fully ready. In Gujarat, 17 IT SEZs have been notified," he said.

At present, around 18,000 persons are directly employed in the IT and ITeS industry in Gujarat. "We are further enlarging computer learning programmes to build capacity for the upcoming IT companies," said Saxena.

According to him, Gujarat government has outlined a budget of around Rs 25,000 crore this year. "Of the total, if even 2% is invested in IT it will bring lots of changes in the state. We have a plan to start at least 50 citizen-centric services by December 31, 2010. This includes services such as e-ticketing of GSRTC buses, online payment of taxes and many more," he said.

Saxena was the chief guest at the business alliance meet. On the occasion, GESIA signed an MoU with the ICT Davao Inc of Philippines. The MoU was signed by Nirav Shah, president of GESIA, and Samuel R Matunog, president & CEO of Segworks Technologies Corporations of Philippines. As per the MoU, the two parties will collaborate by sending delegations to the other country, assist in holding trade fairs and buyer-seller meets, organise and participate in seminars and provide advisory support for projects.

Source: DNA Money

Bringing Infosys, Wipro to Gujarat on new GIL CMD's agenda

With Gujarat Informatics Limited (GIL) getting its non-bureaucratic chairman and managing director for the first time, the nodal agency of Government of Gujarat is set to take some major steps in the IT sector. Having assumed the office on Monday, Gururaja Rao, CMD, GIL is now eyeing top IT companies like Infosys and Wipro, and bringing them to Gujarat is the first on his agenda.

When asked about his immediate plans after assuming the office, Rao said, "The very first task is to bring those big IT companies like Infosys and Wipro to Gujarat. If they can go to places like Bhubaneswar, why can't they come to Gujarat? Also, we will be encouraging young IT entrepreneurs in Gujarat to grow big as well."

This is not Rao's first stint in Gujarat. The IT professional was part of the founding team of Gujarat Communications in Vadodara decades ago where Rao worked for about 20 years.

Rao, who was previously with Bharat Electronics, Bangalore, said, "We are in talks with some senior officials in these companies and are convincing them to set up units in Gujarat. There is no dearth of IT man power in Gujarat and the presence of these big companies will boost the image of the state."

The government agency was one of the co-organisers of an 'Indo-ASEAN IT Business Meet' on Monday. Talking about the challenges in bringing the big IT companies, Rao said, "These big companies are reluctant to come to Gujarat because they believe the entrepreneurship attitude of the people here will work against them. They fear people will leave after every 2-3 years and start their own ventures. However, we are trying to convince them otherwise. Retention of workforce is possible in Gujarat as well."

The Indo-ASEAN BSM is expected to unlock the huge potential for business opportunities between the IT SMEs of Gujarat and the SMEs of other ASEAN countries.

The event was sponsored by GIL and Department of Science and Technology, Government of Gujarat.

Source: Business Standard