The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Indian information communication technology firms in U.K. growing

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 01, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Indian information communication technology firms in U.K. growing

Special Correspondent

Workshop will bring together a technical advisory group to identify key areas of focus

WELCOME: Governor Surjit Singh Barnala being greeted by M.S. Ananth, Director, IIT-Madras, at a workshop in Chennai on Tuesday. Also seen are Gerard Parr of the University of Ulster (left) and British Deputy High Commissioner in South India Mike Co nnor. — Shaju John

CHENNAI: The Indo-U.K. technical workshop on Next Generation Communication Networks (NGN), organised at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, will bring together a technical advisory group to identify key areas of focus.

British Deputy High Commissioner in Southern India Mike Connor, who inaugurated the workshop on Tuesday — sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology and the British Foreign and Commonwealth Offices Global Opportunities Fund — said opportunities for the U.K. and India in trade, investment, science and innovation were being realised every day. At the last count, there were 500 Indian companies in the U.K., of which 400 were information communication technology ICT firms.

With India deciding to invest over the next three years in e-governance, the U.K. was keen on working with the Government and other institutions.

Mr. Connor said that with a deregulated telecom market and a leading position in the wireless communications world, the U.K. had an outstanding environment for ICT. He hoped the collaboration between the two countries would build upon individual strengths and deep interest in widening the field and contribute to its development.

Both the countries established partnerships in research and education through the U.K., India Education and Research Initiative. The programme involved an investment of £10 million by the UK Government over the next five years, with equal funding from the private sector. The Indo-U.K. Science and Innovation Council would meet later this year to discuss new mechanisms for co-coordinating science and innovation across all government departments.

Research programme

Gerard Parr, faculty of engineering, University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, said the aim was to establish a three-five year joint research programme in the converged NGN. Topics included network management, wireless networks' performance, data compression, and security and systems software for converged NGN. The workshop, the first step in the process, would also facilitate technology transfer and building of resilient communication infrastructure for disaster, emergency and healthcare response.

Governor Surjit Singh Barnala said the Prime Minister's initiative, signed in September last year with the U.K., set out key areas for bilateral cooperation. Developments in science and technology, sustainable development, economic and trade issues and home affairs were some of the areas identified.

Domestic and global economic connectivity depended vitally on telecommunication networking, and instant transfer of information was essential for any business. Recognising telecommunication as one of the most critical elements of modern economy, the country was concentrating on building a national information infrastructure with global linkages, Mr. Barnala said.

M.S. Ananth, Director, IIT, Madras, and David Koilpillai, India co-ordinator for the workshop, spoke.

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