Pandemic creates opportunities to enhance Indo-US tech ties

New Delhi: As the online and technology space witnessed great strides amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the India-US relations in terms of information & technology have scope to growth further in much greater pace.
Speaking at the 2nd Indo-US Services Summit organised by Indo-American Chamber of Commerce-NIC on Information & Technology (IT) and digital transformation, Dr. Omkar Rai, Director General, STPI, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, noted that technology is a major binding force in the Indo-US relations.
“India and US relationship is so complementary. Their interest is also technology-based, our cultivation, collaboration lies in technology,” Rai said.
 Saying that amid the lockdown India witnessed transformation and disruption, he added that the digital readiness of the nation was tested during the time.
The leap in terms of digital economy and online processes which India has achieved in the past one month is because of the robust IT services sector in India, he added.
“As we saw the pandemic’s impact in hospitality, tourism, we also saw great progress in other sectors such as education as we started online classes immediately,” he said, adding that going ahead much more immersive and animated content will need to be created.
Such efforts are going to create a lot of opportunity in the technology to digitise the entire ecosystem.
Mr. Michael Rosenthal, Director of North India, US Embassy, noted that IT is a vital sector as digitalization has become important for inclusive and sustainable development of both Indian and US economies.
Noting that India’s digital economy annually generates $20 billion dollar, he said: “In the US Embassy, it is considered that in terms of businesses, US is the largest partner of Indian IT players.”
Stressing on India’s standing in the global front in terms of IT, Rosenthal added that India offers major scope for global players.
Highlighting India’s booming digital technology space, Arun Karna, Regional Vice President of IACC, observed that since the pandemic has seen the adoption of digital technology has increased rapidly.
Other speaker in the session was Mr. Anup Purohit, Executive Council Member & Global Chief Information Officer, Wipro Ltd, Ms. Mamatha Madireddy, Centre Director GSC Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Vizag, HSBC and Mr. Rajesh Thakur, CEO, MothersonSumi INfotech & Designs Ltd (MIND).
The virtual summit 2nd Indo-US Services Summit on Leveraging Services Sector to Trigger Post –COVID 19 Economic Recovery”, which involves stakeholders from India and the US is a step towards creating newer ideas to ensure recovery of the sector. It is also an attempt to discern the present state, compile challenges and to evolve a consensual roadmap for inducting dynamism in those segments in a time bound manner.
Select segments that were focused during discussions were travel, tourism & hospitality, healthcare, energy, media & entertainment.