BSA raids on pirated software use yield $2.1mn

Business Software Alliance (BSA),  an organisation promoting a safe and legal digital world, announced that the total value of software seized in 2006 in India was around $2.1 million.

A substantial number of raids were conducted in 2006 by BSA and member-companies collectively and individually. BSA and member-companies plan to set up their enforcement action in 2007.

BSA and members carried out raids in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Hyderabad in 2006.

As per the findings of the BSA-IDC study of 2005, the rate of PC software piracy in 2005 was 72%. According to statistics, the Indian software industry posted revenue loss of $566 million in 2005.

Jeffrey J. Hardee, vice president and regional director, Asia-Pacific, BSA, said: "In over 200 action that have been conducted by BSA and member-companies in 2006, we had found widespread use and sale of pirated software across Indian cities. With the high software piracy rate in India, it is important to highlight efforts of the industry in combating piracy through enforcement."

Pirated software that has been seized includes these from Adobe, Autodesk, McAfee, Microsoft and Symantec.

BSA maintains a close working relationship with the government and industry associations in India like Nasscom. According to an economic impact study conducted by IDC, if the piracy rate is reduced by 10 points by 2009, India could benefit with an additional 1,15,000 new IT jobs, an additional $5.9 billion pumped into its economy and increased tax revenues of $386 million.