According to data provided by the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM), the total volume of IT exports from the country for the last three years is as follows:
•FY 2019-20, $150 billion
•FY 2020-21, $151 billion
•FY 2021-22, $178 billion
The government has taken various steps to increase IT exports from the country as detailed below:
i. Software Technology Parks of India (STP) Scheme: Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), an autonomous corporation under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, is implementing the Software Technology Parks of India (STP) scheme, a 100% export-oriented scheme for development and export of computer software, including export of professional services by means of communication links or physical media. Exports of STPI-registered IT/ITeS units are growing year-on-year and stand at $80.3 billion in FY2021-22.
ii. Special Economic Zones (SEZs): The SEZ Act, 2005, backed by the SEZ Rules, came into force on 10 February 2006 to promote the export of goods and services, create employment opportunities and generate other economic activities.
• iii. MeitY in collaboration with the IT Sector Skills Council/ITeS-NASSCOM has launched a program called Future Skills PRIME (Program for Retraining/Upskilling of IT Workers for Employability). Future Skill sPRIME is an “aggregator of aggregator” platform that includes various online skill providers for national level digital skills training in online mode. The program is aimed at retraining/up-skilling IT professionals in 10 new/emerging technologies namely AI, BDA, RPA, Additive Manufacturing/3D Printing, Cloud Computing, Social & Mobile, Cyber Security, Augmented/Virtual Reality, Internet of Things and blockchain.
• iv. With the intention of building a strong ecosystem to support innovation, startups and encourage private investment in the country’s startup ecosystem, the government has set up various Domain Specific Centers of Entrepreneurship across the country in the field of new and emerging technologies.
v. National Policy for Software Products-2019: GoI approved the National Policy for Software Products-2019 to develop India as a global hub for software products, driven by innovation, improved commercialization, sustainable intellectual property (IP), technology start-up support Actions and specialized skill sets for the development of ICT-based industries. The policy aims to create a robust Indian software product development ecosystem.
• vi. The Next Generation Incubation Scheme (NGIS) has been approved to support the software product ecosystem and address a significant part of the National Software Product Policy (NPSP 2019). It is envisaged to create a vibrant ecosystem of software products to complement a robust IT industry for sustained growth, new employment and increased competitiveness.
Other IT export promotion initiatives include the Market Outreach Initiatives in the US and the UK, which provide support to Indian IT/ITeS SMEs for creating market linkages to enhance exports to overseas markets, the Nordic Market Development Initiative and Africa region etc. This information was given today by the Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.
