Ohio outsourcing ban an-ill advised decision: Sharma

Asserting that the decision of the Ohio Governor to ban outsourcing of government IT projects was ill-advised, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma called for American corporate leaders and institutions to sensitise Congress and other decision-makers in this regard.

"We hope that there is no other state which would follow the ill-advised and less informed path chosen by the Ohio state government," Sharma told a group of Indian journalists here in response to a question.

"Airtel, an Indian company, has placed orders of $3.5 billion on IBM. Isn't that outsourcing? Where would those jobs be created? Where would those jobs be supported? The largest orders for Boeing aircraft have been placed by India. How many jobs would have been sustained and how many jobs would be created?", he asked.
    
"This is, I feel, what the opinion makers in this country, including the chambers of commerce and industry and the think-tanks, should go and tell those who have been sceptical, those who have less information about it," he said.
    
"I feel sad about those who have commented partially and are not even aware of it. This is an ongoing thing; we are engaged at various levels. Nothing remains frozen. There is always a forward movement and hopefully this will be respectfully acknowledged more and more because the issues have arisen," he said.
    
"We understand what the US economy has been through and that's why our prime minister himself at the last two G-20 Summits has spoken about a well-coordinated response by the governments and cautioned against protectionism in any manner in any form," Sharma said.
    
"I feel that it is also expected of the US business leadership and the institutions which have a role to play in the formulation of public opinion to sensitise the Congress so that an objective and balanced view emerges," said the Indian minister.