The information technology (IT) and IT-enabled Services (ITeS) companies, based in the South reported an operating income of about Rs 60,000 crore in 2008-09, an increase of 15 per cent over last year, according to the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) - Southern Region Quarterly Industry and Economic Update for IT and ITeS Industry.
The study has said that of the over 230 listed IT and ITeS firms in India, over 44 per cent have registered offices in the Southern Region. The number of software units in Karnataka rose 24 per cent to 1,885 units in 2006-07 from 1,520 units in 2004-05.
In Tamil Nadu, the number of companies rose to 1,127 in 2007-08 from 855 in 2001-02, an increase of 32 per cent.
As for software exports in the region, Tamil Nadu showed a 29 per cent growth in Rupee terms at Rs 36,680 crore or $7.9 billion in 2008-09 compared to Rs 28,430 crore or $6 billion in 2007-08.
Andhra Pradesh registered an export turnover of Rs 32,500 crore or $7 billion from the IT/ITES industry in 2008-09, a growth of 24.5 per cent in rupee terms over the previous year’s Rs 26,120 crore or $5.7 billion. The software exports from Karnataka amounted to Rs 67,500 crore or $14.7 billion in 2008-09, compared to Rs 58,500 crore or $12.7 billion during the previous year, an increase of only 15 per cent in Rupee terms being hit by global recession.
S Gopalakrishnan, deputy chairman, CII - Southern Region and CEO & managing director, Infosys Technologies Ltd said that domestic IT companies are increasing the focus on BRIC and APAC countries.
Indian domestic market would continue to grow faster than global markets fuelled by sustained GDP growth, increased public sector spending and adoption of IT. It is expected that the ‘outsourceable’ market including BPO would expand from the current $500 billion to about $1.5 to 1.6 trillion by 2020, said Gopalakrishnan.