Infosys CEO calls for better policies for IT sector

India's efforts at improving the chances of becoming a force in global IT industry depend on factors such as IT policies, infrastructure-building, education, innovation and investment, said Kris Gopalakrishnan, CEO, Infosys.

He was speaking on 'IT Vision 2020' at the valedictory function of Kerala IT.Com 2008 at Technopark. Building of integrated townships to provide comfortable lifestyle, better planning of cities and infrastructure, increasing the number of graduates, improving quality and quantity of research are certain factors that would help in pushing the country forward in terms of information technology. The need to develop intellectual property and innovate is the key, he added.

Pointing out that it was high time India reduces dependency on foreign IT companies and invest heavily in the domestic industry and promote homegrown successful companies, Goplalakrishnan said the industry needed to make use of its strengths in this regard.

The IT industry works on aspects like cost advantage, demographic advantage, IT viable ecosystem, and quick adoption to latest technology. "We can use these advantages for some more years as the dynamics of the industry will not be the same. Therefore, it is imperative that India as a country takes the right steps to use this period to plan and get ready for the real action," he pointed out.

Kerala's law minister said the government planned to make Thiruvananthapuram the IT corridor of the state.

The state government is planning the third phase of expansion of Technopark and has acquired another 100 acres for the same. The government has also acquired 500 acres about 5 km from Technopark to set up the Technocity, he pointed out.