Hyderabad:
Gitex Hyderabad 2002, the first-ever Gitex event outside
West Asia, demonstrates the potentiality of the information
technology industry that holds vast scope for Indian businesses
in spite of the slowdown. The three-day mega event, inaugurated
here on 7 January, consists of a large exhibition and
presentations on all concerned issues.
Speaking at the inaugural session of Gitex, Andhra Pradesh
Governor Dr C Rangarajan said the slowdown has resulted
in a downward revision of IT industry growth rates. The
growth rates have come down from the expected 30 to 40
per cent to 15 to 18 per cent.
"However, not all is lost. Even in the context of
the present downturn in the world economy, the scope of
outsourcing of Indian IT companies may not necessarily
diminish. The lower cost may result in India substituting
other higher cost sources. With the slowdown elsewhere,
the time is probably just right for Indian IT companies
to build capabilities and generate volumes to cover costs.
The scope here, indeed, is vast both in short and medium
terms," Rangarajan said.
Dubai World Trade Center vice-chairman Mohamed Ali Alabbar,
who is also the director-general of the Dubai Economic
Department, said the 20-year-old Gitex is the largest
and the most important event in the Middle East. "The
show is held annually at the Dubai World Trade Center
complex. We have expanded Gitex to Cairo and Beirut in
1999, and Gitex Riyadh is going to be launched in 2002.
Gitex Hyderabad is the first time ever the event reaches
out into new markets. Dubai and Hyderabad have several
things in common and we hope the event will be great success."
The inaugural session was organised on the theme India
Tomorrow. Andhra Pradesh IT and communications secretary
J Satyanarayana elaborated the theme, while Satyam Computers
chairman B Ramalinga Raju delivered the keynote address.
The
event will have 10 sessions, apart from a concluding session
of a panel discussion on the growth of the IT industry
in the Indian market. The event has more than 250 registered
delegates and about 50 exhibition participants. The exhibitors
include a contingent from the UAE and several IT majors
like IBM India, Microsoft Corp, Oracle India, Intelligroup
Asia, Nokia India, Satyam Computers, Vanenburg, HSBC,
InfoTech Enterprises, Visualsoft Technologies, Portal
Player and Wilco International.
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