Time to take-off
The Indian software industry has a very promising future. It has the potential to alter the future course of the Indian economy. Naturally, such an industry should strive to gain a major global presence.

Editorial -- Value chain imperatives
Indian software companies need to move up the value chain fast. They have to make strategic acquisitions and build delivery scales. The government should make acquisitions less cumbersome. Riders in acquiring overseas software companies should go.

Going through labour pains
There is no doubt it. The Indian software industry can boast of abundant technical skills, which is a competitive advantage that the sector enjoys today. True, much of India's growth in the software sector can be attributed to its low-cost pool of programmers.

Exploring export markets
Software exports from India have been on a growth trajectory for sometime now. Consider: just five years ago, software exports accounted for just about 2.5 per cent of India's total exports and for 1999-2000 the figure is 10.5 per cent.

Time to think and act big
It is not that the Indian software industry has nothing to cheer about. Probably, no other industry has contributed so much towards global competitiveness and created so many Indian millionaires in such a short span of time.

On a consolidation binge
Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) are on in the Indian software industry. Last year, more than 32 companies went to town about their intentions to make some acquisition or other.

"The future is very promising"
Nandan Nilekani emphasises that Indian software companies should move up the value chain fast. The incumbent managing director, president and chief operating officer of the Bangalore-based Infosys Technologies, Nilekani, puts forth what is in store for the Indian software industry.

"Software is a volatile industry"
S.Ramadorai is the chief executive officer of the Mumbai-based Tata Consultancy Services. In an interview with FE-Thinktank, Ramadorai dwells on the challenges before the Indian software industry.

"Domestic acquisition norms should be made simpler"
He is the most visible and vocal spokesperson of the Indian software industry. In his response to a faxed questionnaire, Dewang Mehta, president of the New Delhi-based National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom), expresses his views on issues concerning the Indian software industry.