CDs to take tech firms to newer pastures

BANGALORE: With a view to guide software companies to newer markets, Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC) has brought out two CDs carrying crucial investment exploratory information on 102 countries across the globe. These CDs will be available from November 12.
ESC regional executive H.A. Nagaraja Rao said these CDs will offer a complete picture of these countries covering social, economic, technology, telecom aspects, rules pertaining to investments and business collaborations, visa regulations, investment climate and government policies."We hope this attempt will be a great help to domestic IT firms to come out of the recessionary blues," he said. Covering 102 countries under four continents — Asia, Latin America, Europe and Africa — these CDs carry as many as 20,600 contact names and numbers.
Commenting on the over-dependence of domestic IT firms on the US market, Rao said, "India exports 62 per cent of its software to the US markets. We are quite comfortable to deal with the US as the country offers language, easy visa, tech acceptability, dollar rate and time zone advantages."
ESC recently organised a one-day seminar on "IT Growth and Global Markets" which was attended by over 10 countries from Asia, Europe and the Middle East. "We have been conducting such events to drive domestic companies towards fresh markets and also to reduce their focus on single destination," Rao added.
Speaking at the seminar Japanese trade and investment arm Jetro chief Yokoi said Japan already has 52 Indian companies. "Japan does not take any hasty business decision as we always prefer to have long-term relations. Therefore, we carefully analyse trade policies and strategies of any foreign country which try to enter Japan."
Yokoi said during 2001, India''s total software exports stood at $7.6 billion with Japan receiving only a 4 per cent share. However, Japan''s current software import potential is $55 billion. "We may not speak good English. But India should realise our huge buying capacity," he noted.
According him, Indian companies make large "long-winding and exhaustive" business presentations to potential Japanese clients. "Why don''t you make easily understandable, to-the-point and brief three-page presentations? If it is made in Japanese, nothing like it."