Advantage of India
MT Services are a
strategic and imperative fit for India as it offers
immense jobs opportunities and ability to earn foreign
exchange. A majority of the State Governments in India
are offering incentives and infrastructure for setting up
these services. Central Government has provided Income
Tax exemption to profits from export of these services.
Vocational colleges have started teaching the skills for
these services. Moreover, setting up of these services is
not capital intensive and is entrepreneur driven. India
has emerged as the preferred Global Destination and the
hub of MT Services. Amongst others, it offers cost and
quality advantages plus much more:
- A virtual 12-hour
time zone difference between India and USA offers
cost and time savings.
- A huge pool of
English speaking and computer literate graduate
workforce who can continue to cater to the
growing demand of professionals for MT Services.
- With more than
115 ISO 9000 certified and four SEI Level 5
Software Companies, India offers the ultimate
quality advantage with relatively less costs.
- India enjoys very
strong brand equity in major markets, thanks to
its growing and globally competitive software
industry.
- A special thrust
has been given by Department of
Telecommunications, Government of India with
reduction in prices of High Speed Datacom lease
circuits.
- Thrust by
Government of India by providing Income Tax
exemption to profits from exports of MT Services.
- Central and State
Governments as well as private sector are setting
up state-of-the-art infrastructure for MT
Services including IT Habitats
Nasscom has constituted a
Vision Group for IT Enabled Services (MT is classified as
an IT Enabled service in India). This is a special forum
mandated with the task of identifying opportunity
segments in the areas of IT Enabled Services. This
Nasscom group would also devise segment specific
strategies for market development, encouraging
entrepreneurship and positioning India as a global hub
for IT Enabled Services.
The following table amply projects present status and
potential of employment and earnings opportunities from
MT Services -
| Year |
1998 |
2008 (projection) |
| Workforce
Employed |
3800 |
160,000 |
| Billion Indian
Rupee |
1.4 |
110 |
(Source:
NASSCOM)
Nasscom is following a two pronged strategy for
Indias success in I.T. Enabled Services. The first
part involves continuous lobby with Government of India
for removing procedural and other bottlenecks. Some of
the demands include: income tax exemption; single window
clearance at Department of Telecommunication; global
telecom infrastructure in India; lowering of tariff and
more availability of venture capital and marketing funds.
In this regard, Nasscoms lobby was very successful
to get income tax exemption to profits derived from most
of the I.T. Enabled Services under Section 80 HHE of the
Income Tax Act.
The second strategy involves awareness, marketing as well
as catalysing quality training of workforce. This is
being done by organizing meaningful conferences and
workshops and publishing useful publications for
enthusiastic entrepreneurs. Nasscom has already mounted a
campaign for marketing Indias advantage in this
sector. The slogan at Nasscom is `Move Work to India.
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