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In the recent past, India has had a special run in the information technology world for more reasons than one. While it has seen several Indian-origin executives taking charge of corner offices at multinational technology firms, from Microsoft to Nokia, there has also been a spurt in global C-suite executives' visits to the country.
While IBM Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Virginia Rometty came to India last month, Cisco Chairman John Chambers was in the country last week. Facebook Inc Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg is currently touring the nation, while Google's Sunder Pichai is coming here for a global launch later this year. It is also speculated that Microsoft's Satya Nadella will visit the country by the end of the year.
According to experts, global executives' visits to the country, with this frequency, hint at India's rise on the IT map in terms of importance as a market - a welcome change from being seen as the world's favourite back office.
That some of these visits coincide with a change in the country's political regime could also mean that IT companies - like peers in other sectors - are reposing confidence in India, after an apparent dent during the tenure of the previous government.
The current government's thrust on delivering superior governance through IT has also raised interest in the country. "Executive mindshare precedes investment share," says Jaideep Mehta, chief of research at market consultancy firm IDC India. "There is an opportunity before the country to convert this attention into dollars and cents."
India made history last week, as Google, during a flagship event in San Francisco, announced a global product that will debut in the country.
Sunder Pichai, Google's Indian-origin senior vice-president for Android, Chrome and Apps, will be back home in September or October this year to flag off Android One, a new version of the mobile operating system. During his keynote at San Francisco, Chennai-born Pichai showcased a sub-$100 Micromax phone designed as part of the project.
India also hit global headlines in February, when Hyderabad-born Satya Nadella was appointed the Microsoft CEO - only the third executive so far to hold the coveted job. Though it could not be confirmed independently, it is widely believed that Nadella will visit India later this year - the first time as Microsoft Corp CEO.
"These visits signal a renewed interest in the Indian market. No doubt, some of these will translate into positive outcomes for be investments, technology transfers or a general boost to economic activity," Mehta said.
A similar interest interest in the country was last seen during the early days of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government's second term in office, he added. In 2013, the most high-profile visits, perhaps, were of Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt and Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing.
In March this year, Stacy Smith, chief financial officer of the world's largest chipmaker, Intel, was in India. Chambers, CEO & chairman of networking solutions provider Cisco, met department of industrial policy & promotion (DIPP) Secretary Amitabh Kant and Communications & Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. The government wants to build 100 smart cities and Cisco is keen to partner with it.
Sandberg, the top-most Facebook official to have visited India thus far, is reported to be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While internet firms like Facebook and Google had many face-offs with the previous government over monitoring of content on the social media, there has been no word yet from the current government on its strategy for internet governance. Instead, the government, particularly Modi, has made good use of the new media as a communication channel.
Sandberg, who was visiting Facebook's Hyderabad office, on Monday said India had the potential to become the world's largest economy. One of the world's most high-profile woman executives and author of 'Lean In: Women, Work, And The Will To Lead', Sandberg said Facebook wanted to be part of the growth story of India, which was on the cusp of leapfrogging ahead in economic and social development.
"India is Facebook's second-largest market and the fastest-growing market with the fastest-growing internet connectivity in the Asia-Pacific region. It is of high priority for us," Sandberg said.
Chambers has been visiting India once every year for the past few years, while the IBM CEO's last visit to the country is said to be her third since taking over in 2012. Google's Pichai visits India every year but that is only to meet family and friends. For Sandberg, who had earlier worked in India in the 1980s, the current trip comes after several years.
THE TECH TITANS
Sheryl Sandberg, COO, Facebook
Currently touring the nation in what is Facebook's most high-profile visit so far; said to meet PM Narendra Modi
Sunder Pichai, Google's vice-president for Android
Coming to India later this year to flag off a global product
Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft
It is also speculated he will visit the country by the end of the year - the first time since taking charge as CEO
Virginia Rometty, Chairman & CEO, IBM
Came to India last month - her third visit to the country since taking over in 2012
John Chambers, Chairman, Cisco
Was in the country last week; met DIPP Secretary Amitabh Kant and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad
