We welcome all to Mumbai, which includes film stars, cricketers and the IT industry, With these inclusive words Shri Ashok Chavan, Chief Minister, Maharashtra, started his speech and thanked Nasscom for making Mumbai its permanent home. The applause from the crowd was astounding. With one sentence the Honourable Chief Minister united the crowds comprising of technology industry veterans, foreign delegates, business titans and all who are linked to the technology industry in India.
The mood at Nasscom India Leadership Forum 2010 is one of cautious optimism. While there is no evident jubilation or cheer present in the air, there is hope and belief from each one present. This was clearly demonstrated in the tone of Pramod Bhasin, Chairman, Nasscom, when he stepped up to make his speech. His voice resonated loud and clear, within the auditorium with a sense of pride of having survived the last two years financial turmoil. His voice also signalled the strength needed to take on events yet to be seen this year.
New Times, New Ideas, New Directions is the theme for this 18th leadership forum. With over 140 speakers and more than 350 foreign delegates it is the first to witness having a delegation from Pakistan in attendance.
After 14 years of sequential growth, our industry was witness to two quarters of negative growth in the last year. While the green shoots have appeared, we now have to work towards making them saplings, informed Som Mittal, President, Nasscom.
Cost arbitrage is no longer the trump card that Indian technology service providers have. The industry has to build upon the services offered and act as transformation agents for their customers. Complacency too can have no place and in order for India to have inclusive growth, the government has to work together with the industry and Nasscom in this venture informed Bhasin to the audience. 80 percent of new opportunities in the next ten years will come from areas that yet have to be tapped, he said.
The government too is speaking on the same lines. Acknowledging that due to IT/ITES exports the state of Maharashtra has grown eight times in the past few years the Honourable Chief Minister Shri Ashok Chavan, said We have given 100 percent FSI for building IT/ITES parks. We are the first state to have an IT policy and we want to reach e-governance right down to the district and taluka level. He also announced plans to build a state wide IT infrastructure which would enable videoconferences and enable faster data transfer.
