Creating Regional Wealth in the Innovation Economy: Models, Perspectives, and Best Practices

Chapter 17. India's IT Sector and Government Initiatives in Education

The Indian IT sector developed out of a much-needed government emphasis on economic reforms. Spurred by the economic crisis of 1991, the Indian government took widespread action to liberalize and open the economy to major foreign investments. This shift began with the election of Rajiv Gandhi, whose administration was the first to recognize the potential of the Indian IT industry for the nation's economic development, and continues under the current administration of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2002.

In the interim, the Indian IT industry has shown remarkable growth, especially in the area of software exports. Today, the service-based sector of the IT industry has ...