Kerala to sign MoU with Germany’s BITKOM

BANGALORE: The Government of Kerala will soon be signing a MoU with Germany’s

BITKOM to formalize the partnership that was launched during the State’s IT

ministry visit to CeBIT in Germany. The MoU is in a bid to attract more German

companies to Kerala.

BITKOM is the umbrella organization representing the Information

Communication and Technology companies in Germany. It is also Germany's most

important association at a federal level for companies in the information

economy, telecommunications and the new media.

BITKOM represents 1,250 companies, some 600 of which are direct members.

These include almost all of the leading players in the industry, as well as more

than 500 smaller, medium-sized and new businesses. The delegation also held

interactions with representatives of apex chambers of trade and commerce.

Two of the companies with whom the delegation held interactions namely BNR AG

and Kedia Software GmbH have decided to set up operations at the Technopark,

Trivandrum. These companies are expected to start operations in the next

financial year.

Kerala’s minister for IT, PK Kunhalikutty, leading the delegation announced

that the discussions held with some of the companies have evinced interest in

setting up offshore operations in Kerala.

"The basic objective of this visit was to enhance the visibility of

Kerala as an emerging IT hub in the global IT arena and to showcase the state's

unique strengths such as best telecom infrastructure, human resources and a cost

effective destination. The objective was met with desired results," said a

official release from the minister’s desk.

The delegation also held a series of discussions with leading German Software

and Telecom Companies namely Deutsche Telekom, Dresdner Bank, Baurer Infotech,

Siemens and Navision.