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UK may invite more Indian IT companies

Our Bureau

BANGALORE, Oct. 30

THE British Minister of State for e-commerce and Competitiveness, Mr Douglas Alexander, is expected to invite more Indian software firms to set up base in the UK, when he visits Bangalore on November 1.

Mr Alexander's visit is also expected to promote e-commerce and e-governance between the two countries. The Minister would be speaking at the inauguration of the IT.com 2001 and address a seminar on `IT for the common man' on Thursday. He is expected to highlight the opportunities for Indian IT companies in the UK at the `Invest UK' seminar on Friday.

Mr Alexander is also meeting Infosys chief, Mr N.R. Narayana Murthy, and the Karnataka IT Minister, Mr B.K. Chandrashekar, said Mr Kevin Green, Second Trade Secretary, British Trade office.

About eight UK software and services firms and a delegation of 40 entrepreneurs and officials are participating in IT.com 2001, he said.

UK has emerged as a preferred gateway to Europe for many Indian companies after the slowdown. Of the 250 Indian companies present in the UK, nearly 100 of them are in the IT sector, said Mr Green.

UK has also emerged a major destination for Indian software professionals, who are in great demand. Of the 18,000 visas issued for skilled workers last year, nearly 11,000 were grabbed by Indian software professionals, he said.