Multivendoring is the buzzword: Nambiar

Chennai, Mar 20: Multivendoring by large multinationals (MNCs) was gaining momentum and set to become the trend in the future in business process outsourcing (BPO) operations, Union Communications and IT Additional Secretary M M Nambiar said today.

In his inaugural address at the Indiasoft 2006 International Exhibition here, Mr Nambiar said this would open up huge opportunities for vendors in places like Latin America to enter into joint and collaborative ventures with Indian companies for BPOs to serve the American or Canadian or Mexican market.

Mr Nambiar said this would lead to a win-win situation for both the overseas and Indian partners besides creating local talents and capabilities.

Large MNCs like ABN Amro and GE would find Indiasoft an ideal platform for taking forward their strategy of multivendoring for their BPO operations.

Small and medium enterprises in the software sector could forge tie-ups and joint ventures at events like Indiasoft, which had attained brand equity, he said.

Several MNCs, recognising that the domestic market for software was as high as that of the export market, set up their plants in India for hardware and embedded software, he added.

The rapid advancement in IT offered tremendous challenge and opportunities for entrepreneur software companies and governments to leverage on each others strengths and capabilities to maximise returns.

The ICT market in India was booming and five million mobile phones were being added every month. With PC and internet penetration rising, software companies from abroad could look to work with their Indian counterparts to access the growing market.

''Our software exports at 20 billion USD are showing a healthy growth of 30 per cent and in the next five years should reach 50 billion USD.'' This export success was reflected in the fact most of the world's leading companies across sectors were already partnering India, viewing it as an integral part of their business strategy.

Exuding confidence the two-day event would be an important forum for forging global alliances, Mr Nambiar said he was happy to note that over 200 delegates from 50 different countries and an equal number of Indian IT companies were taking part in it.

Event organiser Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC) Chairman Nalin Kohli, in his address, said Indiasoft 2006 would act as a catalyst in propelling Indian exports in new and emerging markets of the world.

UNI