"Slowdown in the US sounds the positive note for India..."

PUNE: "Slowdown in US sounds the positive note for India to restrategise

and explore new opportunities. India needs to reposition itself in the changed

global scenario". This was the unanimous outcome of the seminar on US

Slowdown and Global IT Outlook jointly organized by MCCIA (Mahratta Chamber of

Commerce, Industries and Agriculture) and CSI (Computer Society of India) at

Pune.

Iopsis Software managing director S D Pradhan, in his presentation on

Repositioning India Inc., stated that India needs to restrategise its stand.

Though demand for Indian IT professionals is reducing, India's brand equity is

pretty good. We can make use of this positive image and reposition ourselves by

using other opportunities available in service sector. He cited new avenues such

as convergence and embedded technologies and new IT enabled services, which will

give business to Indian companies.

Persistent Systems managing director Dr. Anand Deshpande explained the

emerging outsourcing opportunities for India. He asserted that in the current

situation we require to provide value solutions. In the past we used to provide

cost solutions; that time the market was not so cost conscious. Now the changed

situation gives the message, to come out of a complacent mood and approach the

customers in a different manner by evaluating their requirements.

Along with the US we have to explore new IT markets in Europe, said, , KPIT

managing director Kishor Patil. He said that Germany is a major market for

India. Excessive dependence on UK market is undesirable as it is saturating very

fast. He warned that the European companies always prefer local manpower and

still is a conservative market. He stated that building local reference would be

beneficial and our companies should think of providing value-added services in

the diversified market of Europe.

SICOM divisional head of industrial promotion Rajeev Phanse talked on Venture

funding perspective in the changing scenario. He stated that V C funding

agencies should look at profit sharing arrangement rather than getting small

term returns. This will in turn prove to be a good financial instrument for

growth of this industry. Slowdown would result in corrections in valuations by

VCs.

In his welcome address, Deepak Shikarpur, chairman, IT Sub-Committee, MCCIA

and national chairman, CSI software division, presented growth of Indian IT

Industry in last decade. He said that in 2000-2001 the country had reached Rs

30,000 crore exports. Our companies need to reallocate their services from body

shopping to product development and snatch outsourcing opportunities. He also

stressed that we need to adopt value-based approach rather than following

blindly.

Wipro Technologies head E&I P Sundar Varada Raj stressed that now was the

time to diversify, go for innovation and learn new skills. Solid core

technologies and solid domain knowledge will be the key to changing model.