IT/ITeS industry growth may fall to 5-yr low in 2009

Indian IT and IT-enabled services industry is expected to grow at 10.8 per cent in 2009, the lowest in the last five years, due to the global economic meltdown, a report said.

But in next four years, it would grow at 13.9 per cent to touch revenue of $110 billion, the report by analyst firm IDC India has said.

"In the backdrop of one of the worst ever global financial and economic meltdown, it is estimated that in 2009, the overall India IT/ITeS industry is expected to grow at 10.8 per cent, which is the lowest in the last five years.

"Going forward, the overall IT/ITeS industry is expected to grow at 13.9 per cent (CAGR 2008-2013) to touch over $110 billion in 2013," IDC India Country Manager Kapil Dev Singh said in the report.

The total revenue for the Indian IT industry in 2008 stood at over $57 billion in 2008.

"The ongoing global slowdown will definitely have its impact on the Indian IT sector. Despite that the industry is still expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.4 per cent by 2013," IDC India Country Manager Kapil Dev Singh said.

The domestic IT and IT-enabled services (ITeS) revenue is slated to touch about Rs 2,06,398 crore by 2013 from Rs 99,254 crore in 2008, growing at a CAGR of Rs 15.8 per cent, the study said.

"The growth will be led by spending by the government, manufacturing, telecom, pharmaceutical, utility and healthcare sectors. Retail, IT/ITeS along with banking and financial services would also continue to spend on IT," Singh said.

Export of IT/ITeS are expected to grow 12.7 per cent to touch Rs 3,28,081 crore by 2013 against Rs 1,80,064 crore in 2008, Singh said.

IDC's study pegs the total IT industry revenue to touch Rs 3,09,573 crore in 2009. Of this, while the domestic IT/ITeS market accounts for Rs 1,09,406 crore, exports could touch Rs 2,00,168 crore, the study said.

"The hardware market will remain under pressure through the year, while the software and IT services markets will also be affected, though to a comparatively lesser extent," Singh said.

"The share of IT/ITeS in the Indian domestic market is expected to rise from 31.7 per cent to 41.9 per cent in 2013, signalling the increasing focus of enterprises to 'leverage' the capacities built-up," Singh said.